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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 · club · bulb · firm · rash · calf · deal · band

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. firm — steady
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. firm — decided
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. band — a ring
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. deal — to handle
  11. club — for dancing
  12. rash — a series
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a music group
  17. bulb — for light
  18. club — a group
  19. firm — a company
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. club — for golf
  22. perch — the fish
  23. rash — hasty
  24. calf — a young animal

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