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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.

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: scale · rock · bulb · wind · pit · land · board · stand

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rock — music
  7. board — a committee
  8. scale — size or range
  9. stand — to bear
  10. scale — in music
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pit — a hole
  17. land — a country
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. board — to get on
  22. land — ground
  23. pit — in a race
  24. stand — for spectators

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