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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: rest · perch · bulb · pitcher · toast · board · nail · court

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. court — for sport
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. board — to get on
  9. bulb — for light
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. toast — bread
  12. court — of a king
  13. court — of law
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rest — a break
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. board — a committee
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. perch — the fish
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rest — what's left

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