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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: current · spring · plane · bulb · board · pitch · lash · toast

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. toast — bread
  5. plane — a tool
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bulb — for light
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pitch — completely
  14. spring — a coil
  15. current — electric
  16. board — a committee
  17. spring — the season
  18. board — to get on
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bulb — for light
  21. current — of water
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. current — happening now
  24. spring — of water

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