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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 120 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: squash · object · clip · bulb · wave · drill · race · net

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. clip — to cut
  3. race — the arms race
  4. drill — the tool
  5. object — a thing
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. net — for catching
  8. object — an aim
  9. net — in sport
  10. race — humankind
  11. drill — army training
  12. clip — a video
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. race — a contest
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the sport
  18. drill — a practice
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. clip — for paper
  21. object — to protest
  22. net — after costs
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. wave — with your hand

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