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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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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 · foot · lie · clip · bulb · file · wave · pit

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bulb — for light
  3. race — humankind
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pit — a hole
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. clip — a video
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a document
  15. clip — for paper
  16. race — a contest
  17. bulb — for light
  18. file — a line of people
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pit — in a race
  22. race — the arms race
  23. clip — to cut
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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