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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: roll · board · scale · chair · dip · fan · bulb · jam

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. chair — a leader
  5. bulb — for light
  6. roll — a list
  7. dip — to sink
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. scale — size or range
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. roll — a cake
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. board — to get on
  22. bulb — for light
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. dip — a sauce

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