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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: mouse · racket · pass · game · mark · current · bulb · fall

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. current — happening now
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. game — a match
  12. fall — the season
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. current — electric
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. current — of water
  20. mark — a grade
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. game — wild animals
  24. mark — a trace

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