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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 120 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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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: calf · firm · current · cell · stock · bulb · band · mouse

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. firm — a company
  3. stock — goods
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cell — in biology
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stock — shares
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. firm — decided
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. cell — a phone
  18. band — a music group
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — steady
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. band — a ring

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