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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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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: cap · bulb · race · arm · squash · safe · pop · band

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. squash — to crush
  3. pop — music
  4. band — a ring
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pop — soda
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. race — humankind
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pop — to visit
  14. cap — a lid
  15. race — the arms race
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. cap — a hat
  18. race — a contest
  19. squash — the sport
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. cap — of ice
  24. band — a music group

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