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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · cell · bulb · current · ball · mouse · fan · band

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a dance
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. current — of water
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a music group
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in biology
  24. fan — a supporter

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