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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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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. current — of water
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. board — to get on
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bulb — for light
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. key — the most important part
  10. tube — a container
  11. board — a committee
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — boats
  14. tube — the underground
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. current — electric
  17. wound — an injury
  18. key — in music
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. current — happening now
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. craft — a skill
  24. key — for a lock

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