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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: kid · tear · rash · bulb · current · dip · deal · stock

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. stock — shares
  5. kid — to tease
  6. tear — to rip
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. current — happening now
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — hasty
  13. current — electric
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. stock — goods
  16. dip — to sink
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. current — of water
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. deal — to handle
  23. kid — child
  24. deal — a big deal

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