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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. current — electric
  4. lean — to bend
  5. rest — what's left
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. rock — a stone
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a ring
  13. game — a match
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. rock — music
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. rest — a break

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