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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bulb · chip · plane · bass · wound · wave · temple · rash

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. chip — for betting
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rash — hasty
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rash — a series
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bass — low music
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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