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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 120 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: bulb · track · deal · current · season · arm · can · fall

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. current — of water
  5. track — a song
  6. can — a tin
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. can — to be able to
  9. current — happening now
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bulb — for light
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bulb — for light
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. track — to keep track
  16. fall — to drop
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. deal — to handle
  19. season — of the year
  20. current — electric
  21. season — in sport
  22. track — a path
  23. fall — the season
  24. can — a tin

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