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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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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: bulb · lean · perch · foot · leaves · vault

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lean — to bend
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. foot — a measure
  13. vault — a safe
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. lean — thin
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. foot — the bottom

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