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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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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: perch · coach · bulb · lean · craft · bat · jam · suit

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. suit — clothes
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bat — the animal
  16. craft — boats
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. suit — in cards
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lean — to bend
  24. suit — to fit

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