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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 116 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. suit — in cards
  3. current — electric
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. current — happening now
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. squash — the sport
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. ball — a dance
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. current — of water
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. squash — to crush
  17. suit — clothes
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. ball — a great time
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. suit — to fit

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