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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 116 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: current · bear · straw · lean · season · bulb · key · perch

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. key — the most important part
  3. season — in sport
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. current — electric
  7. season — of the year
  8. key — for a lock
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. current — happening now
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — thin
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. key — in music
  22. bear — the animal
  23. current — of water
  24. straw — a straw man

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