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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: date · bulb · coach · bear · perch · straw · object · bound

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bound — tied together
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bear — the animal
  8. object — to protest
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bound — certain
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bulb — for light
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bound — obliged
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. perch — the fish
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bear — to put up with

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