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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 120 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: scale · foot · cell · firm · wind · wound · bulb · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cell — in biology
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bulb — for light
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. firm — decided
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — size or range
  9. cell — a phone
  10. foot — a measure
  11. firm — steady
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wind — moving air
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. bulb — for light
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wind — moving air
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. firm — a company
  22. wound — an injury
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. scale — in music

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