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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: plane · bay · vault · bulb · net · rush · present · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. present — a gift
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. net — in sport
  7. bulb — for light
  8. net — after costs
  9. plane — a tool
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — of water
  12. present — there
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. vault — a safe
  20. net — for catching
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. present — the time now
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. rush — hurry

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