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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: ball · branch · current · dip · land · staff · bulb · firm

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. land — ground
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. ball — a dance
  6. current — electric
  7. land — a country
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ball — a great time
  11. staff — employees
  12. current — happening now
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. firm — decided
  16. staff — a stick
  17. land — to come down
  18. firm — a company
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — a division
  21. staff — employees
  22. firm — steady
  23. bulb — for light
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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