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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bound — tied together
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. tube — a container
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bound — certain
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. deal — to handle
  11. current — happening now
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bass — low music
  16. bound — obliged
  17. current — of water
  18. object — a thing
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. object — to protest
  21. bear — the animal
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. object — an aim
  24. tube — the underground

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