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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: current · pass · bank · bulb · stand · kid · foot · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bank — for money
  6. current — of water
  7. kid — child
  8. bank — for money
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. kid — to tease
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. current — happening now
  20. pass — a permit
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bank — of a river
  23. current — electric
  24. foot — the bottom

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