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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: calf · roll · firm · pass · race · bulb · nail · pop

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  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. race — the arms race
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. race — humankind
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. roll — a cake
  6. firm — a company
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pop — to visit
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pop — soda
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. race — a contest
  16. firm — decided
  17. roll — a list
  18. bulb — for light
  19. firm — steady
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. pop — music
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  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