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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: foot · firm · spring · current · tear · ruler · arm · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. firm — steady
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. spring — of water
  6. foot — a measure
  7. current — of water
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bulb — for light
  10. tear — from crying
  11. current — electric
  12. tear — to rip
  13. current — happening now
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — the season
  16. firm — a company
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. tear — from crying
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. firm — decided
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bulb — for light

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