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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. file — a document
  5. bound — tied together
  6. scale — in music
  7. file — a line of people
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bound — obliged
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bulb — for light
  13. tube — a container
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bound — certain
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. tube — the underground
  21. file — a tool
  22. bulb — for light
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. scale — size or range

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