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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.

Make a worksheet

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: file · object · coach · bulb · wind · saw · rash · pitch

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. object — a thing
  7. bulb — for light
  8. file — a document
  9. rash — a series
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pitch — completely
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rash — hasty
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wind — moving air
  22. file — a tool
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. coach — a trainer

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