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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: bulb · staff · craft · charge · wax · field · shower · scale

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bulb — for light
  4. field — a subject
  5. charge — electricity
  6. field — for sport
  7. craft — boats
  8. staff — employees
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. charge — in control
  12. staff — employees
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bulb — for light
  16. scale — size or range
  17. field — farmland
  18. wax — to grow
  19. charge — a price
  20. scale — in music
  21. shower — rain
  22. craft — a skill
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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