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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: jam · march · race · racket · bulb · lie · squash · chip

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. race — the arms race
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. squash — to crush
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. squash — the sport
  10. race — a contest
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. chip — to eat
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. march — the month
  15. lie — to recline
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. march — music
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bulb — for light
  20. march — the month
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. race — humankind
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. jam — a tight spot

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