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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
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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: bulb · cap · fine · pitcher · land · current · wave · perch

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. land — ground
  5. perch — the fish
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. fine — high quality
  8. cap — a lid
  9. current — of water
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. current — electric
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. land — a country
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. current — happening now
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. land — to come down
  22. fine — all right
  23. cap — of ice
  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