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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: foot · ground · dip · current · bear · bulb · straw · stock

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ground — a position
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bear — the animal
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bulb — for light
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stock — shares
  11. bulb — for light
  12. current — electric
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. ground — the earth
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. ground — crushed
  23. stock — goods
  24. bear — to put up with

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