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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. cap — a hat
  3. object — a thing
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cap — a lid
  13. club — a group
  14. bat — the animal
  15. club — for golf
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. perch — the fish
  19. can — to be able to
  20. cap — of ice
  21. object — an aim
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. object — to protest
  24. leaves — of a tree

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