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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 · bound · deal · mine · toast · wax · snap · current

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. wax — to grow
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. deal — to handle
  8. current — of water
  9. current — electric
  10. bound — tied together
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bound — certain
  14. current — happening now
  15. snap — to click
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bound — obliged
  23. toast — bread
  24. mine — for digging

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