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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ball · bulb · rash · current · rush · pitch · mug · stock

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. bulb — for light
  3. current — electric
  4. rash — hasty
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. ball — a great time
  7. current — of water
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stock — goods
  11. rash — a series
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. mug — a cup
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. stock — shares
  17. mug — a face
  18. current — happening now
  19. mug — to rob
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pitch — completely
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a dance

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