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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 · bound · bulb · racket · bark · date · face · hand

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. current — of water
  3. bound — tied together
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bound — certain
  8. current — electric
  9. current — happening now
  10. bulb — for light
  11. date — the fruit
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. hand — help
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bound — obliged
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. face — to confront

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