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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.

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: rock · wound · stem · bass · nail · race · bulb · chip

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. chip — for betting
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. race — a contest
  13. stem — to come from
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rock — music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — low music
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stem — of a plant

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