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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 116 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: bat · board · wind · shower · bulb · fan · rule · mouse

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. rule — a law
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. shower — to wash
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. board — to get on
  7. shower — rain
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bat — the animal
  17. board — a committee
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — moving air
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. fan — a supporter

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