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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: march · rock · stand · pop · bulb · race · dip · land

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stand — to bear
  3. race — humankind
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rock — music
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pop — to visit
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. land — a country
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. march — music
  13. pop — music
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bulb — for light
  16. march — the month
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. race — a contest
  19. land — ground
  20. pop — soda
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. march — the month
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. land — to come down

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