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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 120 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: hand · bulb · spell · can · shower · object · scale · bay

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. scale — in music
  3. shower — to wash
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — rain
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. object — an aim
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bulb — for light
  16. spell — letters
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. object — a thing
  19. hand — help
  20. object — to protest
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. can — a tin
  23. spell — magic
  24. hand — in cards

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