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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.

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: shower · wind · rash · cabinet · mouse · charge · bulb · swing

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. charge — a price
  4. swing — music
  5. wind — moving air
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wind — moving air
  8. swing — in golf
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rash — hasty
  15. shower — rain
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — in control
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. shower — to wash
  24. swing — to play on

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