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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 116 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: rest · current · bulb · hide · stand · fork · ground · craft

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rest — a break
  3. current — of water
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fork — in a road
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. craft — boats
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. ground — crushed
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ground — a position
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ground — the earth
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. current — electric
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. current — happening now
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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