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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.

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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ball — a great time
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — an aim
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. vault — a safe
  15. object — a thing
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rock — a stone

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