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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.

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: perch · mate · bulb · nail · jam · can · kid · squash

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. perch — the fish
  3. can — a tin
  4. kid — to tease
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. squash — the sport
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mate — a friend
  10. can — to be able to
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mate — a partner
  14. kid — child
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. can — a tin
  21. bulb — for light
  22. squash — to crush
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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