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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
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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: object · current · bulb · fine · season · bark · firm · rash

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rash — hasty
  3. current — electric
  4. season — of the year
  5. firm — decided
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. firm — a company
  9. object — to protest
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. fine — all right
  12. object — an aim
  13. season — in sport
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. current — happening now
  17. fine — high quality
  18. object — a thing
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. current — of water
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. firm — steady
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rash — a series

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