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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: shower · toast · calf · bass · ruler · chair · bulb · file

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — low music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. file — a document
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. file — a tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. toast — bread
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. shower — rain
  19. file — a line of people
  20. bulb — for light
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. shower — to wash
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — a leader

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