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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: snap · deal · patient · wake · current · bulb · drill · ball

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. deal — to handle
  3. ball — a dance
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. snap — to click
  6. wake — a trail
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. current — of water
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. current — electric
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. drill — army training
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. current — happening now
  20. drill — a practice
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. drill — the tool
  24. bulb — for light

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