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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: current · lash · wind · firm · bulb · court · ground · stick

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. current — electric
  3. ground — crushed
  4. court — for sport
  5. ground — a position
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. current — happening now
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. current — of water
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. ground — the earth
  16. court — of law
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. court — of a king
  23. firm — a company
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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