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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: bulb · stick · lean · mate · current · wake · pound · bay

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. pound — a weight
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mate — a partner
  7. current — electric
  8. lean — to bend
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — a trail
  11. lean — thin
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. current — happening now
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mate — a friend
  24. current — of water

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