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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.

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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: coach · chip · shower · firm · wind · bulb · staff · ruler

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. staff — employees
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. shower — rain
  13. wind — moving air
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wind — moving air
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. firm — steady

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