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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 · cap · court · stick · ball · current · kid · nail

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bulb — for light
  4. court — of law
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cap — a lid
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cap — a hat
  10. court — for sport
  11. cap — of ice
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. current — electric
  15. court — of a king
  16. bulb — for light
  17. current — happening now
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. current — of water
  20. kid — to tease
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bulb — of a plant

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