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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 120 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: bound · face · current · bulb · row · racket · squash · spring

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. bulb — for light
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bulb — for light
  5. current — of water
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. bound — obliged
  8. spring — the season
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. row — a line
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. face — to point toward
  14. current — electric
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bound — tied together
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bound — certain
  21. spring — of water
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. current — happening now

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