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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: chair · leaves · ground · bulb · current · snap · pitcher · safe

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. current — of water
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. ground — the earth
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. current — happening now
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. ground — a position
  12. bulb — for light
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. ground — crushed
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to click
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. current — electric

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