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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · bay · bulb · wind · current · kick

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. current — electric
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bulb — for light
  7. current — of water
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. current — happening now
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bulb — for light
  12. kick — in football
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. wind — moving air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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