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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: mine · bulb · current · bear · lean · stem · safe · spring

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — the season
  4. current — happening now
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bear — the animal
  10. current — of water
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. spring — of water
  13. bulb — for light
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. current — electric
  19. mine — for digging
  20. lean — to bend
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — thin
  24. bear — to put up 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