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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: safe · mouse · spring · bulb · object · fork · rest · current

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. object — to protest
  8. current — happening now
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. spring — of water
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bulb — for light
  14. current — of water
  15. rest — a break
  16. current — electric
  17. object — a thing
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. fork — in a road
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. spring — the season
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rest — what's left

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