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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.

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: bulb · current · stick · fine · ruler · pop · bear · bat

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bat — the animal
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. current — happening now
  10. fine — all right
  11. pop — to visit
  12. current — of water
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pop — music
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fine — high quality
  23. current — electric
  24. pop — soda

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