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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: bulb · plane · pound · cap · safe · rush · saw · scale

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. plane — a tool
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — in music
  13. rush — hurry
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. pound — a weight
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — of ice

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