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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
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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: scale · rash · ball · deal · mouse · chair · bulb · plane

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bulb — for light
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. ball — a dance
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rash — a series
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chair — a leader
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rash — hasty

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