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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: club · bulb · fork · rash · ball · cabinet · current · bear

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. current — happening now
  6. ball — a dance
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — hasty
  16. club — a group
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. club — for golf
  20. current — electric
  21. club — for dancing
  22. current — of water
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fork — to eat with

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