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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: dip · rest · perch · field · foot · bulb · last · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bulb — for light
  4. perch — the fish
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. last — final
  8. field — a subject
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. last — finally
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. roll — a list
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bulb — for light
  16. last — to go on
  17. roll — a cake
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — farmland
  20. rest — what's left
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. dip — to sink

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