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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 124 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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. wave — with your hand
  4. bear — the animal
  5. capital — money
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. cap — of ice
  8. current — electric
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bulb — for light
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. tube — the underground
  16. cap — a hat
  17. capital — a city
  18. tube — a container
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spell — letters
  23. current — happening now
  24. spell — magic

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