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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: foot · can · current · bulb · wind · game · bear · nail

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. game — a match
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bear — the animal
  12. foot — a measure
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. bear — the animal
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. current — happening now
  19. game — wild animals
  20. current — electric
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. can — a tin
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. nail — for a hammer

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