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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: wave · bulb · mine · rock · spell · mark · tube · current

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bulb — for light
  3. spell — a short time
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. tube — a container
  12. spell — magic
  13. mine — for digging
  14. spell — letters
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. mark — a trace
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. current — happening now
  21. rock — music
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. rock — a stone
  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