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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.

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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: staff · present · object · spring · rest · bulb · perch · bowl

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. object — an aim
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. present — there
  12. spring — the season
  13. object — to protest
  14. rest — what's left
  15. present — a gift
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. present — the time now
  19. bulb — for light
  20. spring — of water
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. object — a thing
  24. rest — a break

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