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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · race · bulb · rule · rush · pound · track · wound

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. race — the arms race
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. pound — a weight
  6. race — a contest
  7. race — humankind
  8. track — a song
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rule — a law
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rule — government
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com