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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: bulb · chip · current · deal · hand · stem · band · rash

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. current — of water
  3. band — a ring
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — a series
  8. stem — to come from
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. current — happening now
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. current — electric
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a music group
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. hand — in cards
  19. rash — hasty
  20. chip — to eat
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. hand — help

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