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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: current · wind · rock · sharp · ground · deal · stick · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rock — a stone
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bulb — for light
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. ground — the earth
  7. current — of water
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — moving air
  13. rock — music
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. sharp — clever
  16. current — happening now
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — a position
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. current — electric

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