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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: perch · cell · lie · rush · lash · jam · bass · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bass — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cell — a phone
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. lie — to recline
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bass — low music
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. cell — in biology
  24. lie — an untruth

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