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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: current · pass · vault · dip · mark · deal · bulb · wind

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. vault — a safe
  5. current — electric
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. dip — to sink
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. pass — a permit
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wind — moving air
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. current — happening now
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mark — a grade
  24. deal — to handle

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