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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.

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: rush · fall · club · roll · bulb · staff · craft · scale

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bulb — for light
  5. roll — a cake
  6. staff — employees
  7. club — a group
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fall — to drop
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. staff — a stick
  14. rush — hurry
  15. fall — the season
  16. roll — a list
  17. scale — in music
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — for golf
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. staff — employees
  23. craft — boats
  24. scale — for weighing

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