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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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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: pound · tear · track · race · cap · wave · bulb · firm

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. firm — decided
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a path
  6. cap — a lid
  7. tear — from crying
  8. cap — of ice
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. race — the arms race
  13. firm — a company
  14. bulb — for light
  15. firm — steady
  16. pound — a weight
  17. cap — a hat
  18. tear — to rip
  19. track — a song
  20. tear — from crying
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — a contest
  24. bulb — for light

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