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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 116 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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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: perch · rest · swing · root · lean · stem · bulb · rock

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lean — thin
  4. rest — a break
  5. swing — music
  6. perch — the fish
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. stem — to come from
  9. root — of a plant
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. root — the cause
  12. swing — to play on
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rock — music
  17. lean — to bend
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rock — a stone
  20. root — of a word
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rest — what's left
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bulb — for light

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