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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. pitch — completely
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. club — for dancing
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. object — an aim
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bulb — for light
  13. perch — the fish
  14. club — for golf
  15. rush — hurry
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. object — a thing
  18. club — a group
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. object — to protest
  24. bulb — for light

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