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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: bay · rest · current · stand · net · bark · bulb · wind

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. current — electric
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. current — happening now
  7. stand — to bear
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. current — of water
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. net — in sport
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. net — for catching
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. rest — a break
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bark — to shout
  24. net — after costs

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