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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: bulb · ground · race · clip · trunk · wax · chip · fine

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. clip — a video
  4. race — the arms race
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fine — high quality
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — a position
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. race — a contest
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. fine — all right
  17. clip — to cut
  18. chip — to eat
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. race — humankind
  21. wax — to grow
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. clip — for paper
  24. ground — crushed

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