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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: key · kick · bulb · march · cell · current · craft · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. can — a tin
  4. key — in music
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. current — of water
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. march — the month
  10. can — to be able to
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bulb — for light
  13. march — music
  14. cell — in biology
  15. current — electric
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. current — happening now
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. march — the month
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. cell — a phone
  24. key — the most important part

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