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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: bulb · shower · plane · suit · race · wind · charge · bat

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — to wash
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. charge — in control
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bulb — for light
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. race — the arms race
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wind — moving air
  14. plane — a tool
  15. race — humankind
  16. charge — a price
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. charge — electricity
  19. race — a contest
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. wind — moving air
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bat — the animal
  24. suit — clothes

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