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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · perch · pitch · wake · bear · mouse · bulb · hand

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. hand — in cards
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — a trail
  13. pitch — completely
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. perch — the fish
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. hand — help
  24. bulb — of a plant

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