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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: chair · shower · bulb · scale · saw · sharp · wind · pass

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. saw — the tool
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bulb — for light
  9. scale — in music
  10. shower — to wash
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. wind — moving air
  13. pass — a permit
  14. wind — moving air
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. chair — a leader
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. sharp — clever

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