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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 · toast · bound · squash · nail · bulb · track · cell

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. current — electric
  3. cell — a phone
  4. squash — the sport
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. toast — bread
  10. current — of water
  11. track — a path
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. track — to keep track
  17. current — happening now
  18. bound — certain
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. bound — obliged
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. squash — to crush
  24. track — a song

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