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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. kid — to tease
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. squash — the sport
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. current — of water
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bear — the animal
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bear — the animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. current — happening now
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. kid — child
  21. squash — to crush
  22. capital — a city
  23. capital — money
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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