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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: tube · wave · snap · season · bulb · net · race · bound

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. season — in sport
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. snap — to click
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bound — certain
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. season — of the year
  13. net — after costs
  14. race — humankind
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bulb — for light
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bound — tied together
  22. tube — the underground
  23. race — a contest
  24. tube — a container

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