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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: object · trunk · staff · chair · racket · perch · bulb · field

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — an aim
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bulb — for light
  7. object — to protest
  8. staff — employees
  9. bulb — for light
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. field — farmland
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. field — a subject
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. field — for sport
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. staff — a stick
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. staff — employees
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. perch — the fish

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