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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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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: hand · can · land · rest · current · ball · bulb · firm

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. current — happening now
  3. can — to be able to
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. can — a tin
  6. ball — a dance
  7. hand — in cards
  8. can — a tin
  9. current — of water
  10. land — a country
  11. rest — what's left
  12. land — ground
  13. current — electric
  14. firm — decided
  15. bulb — for light
  16. land — to come down
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ball — a great time
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. ball — a round shape

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