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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: bulb · mouse · trunk · current · rest · hide · bass · fork

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bass — the fish
  4. current — happening now
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. rest — what's left
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bass — low music
  14. current — of water
  15. rest — a break
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. fork — in a road
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bulb — for light
  24. hide — animal skin

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