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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: object · row · current · bulb · ball · cue · foot · perch

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. row — to paddle
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. perch — the fish
  5. object — to protest
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cue — a signal
  10. foot — a measure
  11. ball — a dance
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. cue — for pool
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. current — of water
  16. object — an aim
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. object — a thing
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cue — a hint
  24. row — a line

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