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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: wake · rock · bulb · current · leaves · vault · present · season

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  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. leaves — of a tree
  2. present — a gift
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. current — electric
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. rock — a stone
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. current — of water
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. present — there
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. wake — a trail
  13. season — in sport
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. season — of the year
  21. vault — a safe
  22. present — the time now
  23. bulb — for light
  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