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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: file · rash · bulb · rock · current · wave · bear · race

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bulb — for light
  4. race — a contest
  5. current — of water
  6. file — a tool
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — humankind
  14. rash — a series
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. current — electric
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bear — the animal
  23. file — a document
  24. current — happening now

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