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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: bulb · stand · race · cue · mine · ball · foot · current

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. cue — a hint
  3. current — happening now
  4. race — a contest
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — humankind
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a great time
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. cue — a signal
  14. stand — to bear
  15. foot — a measure
  16. current — electric
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. current — of water

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