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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: fan · plane · degree · bore · bulb · chip · mate · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bulb — for light
  3. current — happening now
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bore — to drill
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mate — to breed
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bulb — for light
  11. current — of water
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bore — to tire
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. degree — an amount
  17. mate — a partner
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mate — a friend
  21. degree — temperature
  22. plane — a tool
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bulb — of a plant

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