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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: bay · rush · firm · bulb · foot · current · march · mate

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. current — happening now
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mate — a partner
  6. current — electric
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. march — the month
  9. firm — decided
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. firm — steady
  17. rush — hurry
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. firm — a company
  20. mate — a friend
  21. current — of water
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. march — the month
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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