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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
468
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: scale · kid · nail · rash · bulb · leaves · bore · wind

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. rash — hasty
  3. scale — in music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. wind — moving air
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. wind — moving air
  10. scale — size or range
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bore — to tire
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. kid — child
  15. rash — a series
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bore — to drill
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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