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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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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: bulb · scale · charge · lean · can · court · ruler · fan

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. can — to be able to
  4. court — for sport
  5. charge — in control
  6. bulb — for light
  7. court — of a king
  8. lean — to bend
  9. can — a tin
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lean — thin
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. scale — size or range
  16. can — a tin
  17. court — of law
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. scale — in music
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — a price

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