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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: bulb · cabinet · ball · racket · bear · perch · coach · pop

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pop — soda
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. pop — music
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pop — to visit
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ball — a dance
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bear — the animal

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