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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
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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: current · bulb · jam · root · deal · tube · kid · coach

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. current — of water
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bulb — for light
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. root — the cause
  14. current — electric
  15. root — of a word
  16. deal — to handle
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — a container
  22. root — of a plant
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bulb — for light

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