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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 · staff · can · board · bulb · rest · snap · chest

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. staff — a stick
  3. rest — what's left
  4. scale — size or range
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rest — a break
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. can — a tin
  9. snap — to click
  10. staff — employees
  11. board — to get on
  12. can — to be able to
  13. scale — in music
  14. board — a committee
  15. chest — of your body
  16. can — a tin
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bulb — for light
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. staff — employees

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