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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 · mark · file · cell · rush · bulb · charge

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. race — humankind
  3. race — the arms race
  4. charge — a price
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. race — a contest
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. file — a line of people
  9. file — a tool
  10. rush — hurry
  11. file — a document
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. cell — a phone
  14. mark — a grade
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bulb — for light
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. charge — in control
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cell — in biology
  22. charge — electricity
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. mark — a trace

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