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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bulb · bear · wind · rush · current · foot · toast · key

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. current — of water
  3. toast — bread
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. key — for a lock
  8. current — electric
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. foot — a measure
  16. rush — hurry
  17. key — in music
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bulb — for light
  22. key — the most important part
  23. current — happening now
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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