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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · racket · current · pound · ball · present · cell · rush

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. present — a gift
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. present — there
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. present — the time now
  11. current — happening now
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ball — a dance
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cell — in biology
  21. current — of water
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. current — electric

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