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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bank — for money
  8. current — happening now
  9. bank — of a river
  10. root — of a word
  11. wound — an injury
  12. current — of water
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bank — for money
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. wax — to grow
  21. root — the cause
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pass — to spend time

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