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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: ground · bulb · bear · current · plane · pop · firm · arm

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. firm — a company
  3. current — happening now
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. firm — steady
  11. pop — soda
  12. bulb — for light
  13. current — electric
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pop — music
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — a position
  19. bear — the animal
  20. firm — decided
  21. ground — crushed
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. current — of water
  24. arm — a part of something

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