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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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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: race · perch · chair · mug · bulb · nail · bound · pop

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bulb — for light
  3. chair — a leader
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. race — humankind
  7. pop — music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bound — tied together
  10. race — a contest
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bulb — for light
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. mug — a face
  21. pop — soda
  22. perch — the fish
  23. mug — a cup
  24. nail — on a finger

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