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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: last · current · deal · mouse · pass · roll · bulb · march

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. march — the month
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. current — happening now
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. last — to go on
  8. current — of water
  9. bulb — for light
  10. last — finally
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. last — final
  15. current — electric
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. roll — a list
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pass — a permit
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. roll — a cake

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