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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: fork · content · perch · bulb · ruler · object · ball · current

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. current — electric
  3. fork — in a road
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ball — a dance
  6. content — happy
  7. ball — a great time
  8. current — of water
  9. bulb — for light
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bulb — for light
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. object — to protest
  15. perch — the fish
  16. content — the amount
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — an aim
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. current — happening now
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. fork — a garden tool

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