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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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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: suit · snap · mug · current · racket · hand · scale · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. scale — in music
  11. mug — a cup
  12. suit — in cards
  13. scale — size or range
  14. mug — a face
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. hand — help
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. snap — to click
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. hand — in cards
  22. mug — to rob
  23. current — electric
  24. bulb — of a plant

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