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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 116 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: lash · bark · bulb · race · can · current · present · cap

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. current — electric
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. race — a contest
  6. present — there
  7. can — a tin
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. race — the arms race
  10. present — the time now
  11. race — humankind
  12. cap — a hat
  13. can — to be able to
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bark — to shout
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a lid
  20. present — a gift
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — of water
  24. bulb — for light

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