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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 116 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: can · wind · scale · bulb · chip · fan · plane · rash

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. chip — for betting
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rash — a series
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. can — a tin
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. can — a tin
  15. chip — to eat
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. scale — in music
  19. rash — hasty
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wind — moving air
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. fan — to cool the air

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