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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
468
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: lean · mine · content · bass · bulb · ball · bowl · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — happening now
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. ball — a great time
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bass — low music
  7. current — of water
  8. lean — thin
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — for digging
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. content — happy
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. ball — a dance
  18. content — the amount
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bass — the fish

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