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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: racket · mark · band · fine · rash · ground · bulb · current

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bulb — for light
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. current — of water
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. mark — a grade
  9. ground — a position
  10. rash — hasty
  11. fine — all right
  12. ground — crushed
  13. rash — a series
  14. current — electric
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bulb — for light
  20. band — a music group
  21. current — happening now
  22. fine — high quality
  23. ground — the earth
  24. rash — on the skin

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