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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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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: toast · roll · craft · board · leaves · lash · bulb · perch

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. craft — boats
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bulb — for light
  7. board — to get on
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. toast — bread
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — a cake
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. board — a committee
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bulb — for light
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bulb — of a plant

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