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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 · can · scale · charge · spring · wave

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. charge — a price
  4. spring — the season
  5. bulb — for light
  6. can — a tin
  7. spring — a coil
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. charge — in control
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. charge — electricity
  15. spring — of water
  16. scale — in music
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. 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