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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.

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: bound · ball · stick · lie · chip · fork · bulb · current

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. current — electric
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bulb — for light
  5. current — happening now
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bound — obliged
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bound — certain
  17. current — of water
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bound — tied together
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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