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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.

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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: safe · bulb · stock · drill · perch · craft · bound · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bulb — for light
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stock — goods
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a skill
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. drill — a practice
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bound — tied together
  13. perch — the fish
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stock — shares
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — of water
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bound — obliged
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bound — certain

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