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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bulb · mouse · prune · track · drill · craft · key · perch

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bulb — for light
  3. craft — boats
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. drill — a practice
  6. track — to keep track
  7. drill — army training
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. track — a song
  10. prune — to trim
  11. track — a path
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. craft — a skill
  15. key — in music
  16. perch — the fish
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. key — the most important part
  23. drill — the tool
  24. prune — to trim

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