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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: chair · wave · rush · scale · mark · game · stick · bulb

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. scale — in music
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. scale — size or range
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rush — hurry
  12. game — a match
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mark — a grade
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bulb — for light
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. game — wild animals

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