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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: jam · bay · bulb · wind · current · kick · stem · ball

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. current — electric
  3. wind — moving air
  4. ball — a great time
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. kick — in football
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — to come from
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. ball — a dance
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wind — moving air
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. kick — with a leg

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