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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: bulb · wound · wave · mate · object · drill · ruler · current

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. drill — the tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wound — an injury
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — to protest
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. current — electric
  10. mate — a partner
  11. wound — an injury
  12. current — of water
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. drill — a practice
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. drill — army training
  18. mate — to breed
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. current — happening now
  21. object — a thing
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  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