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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: charge · pitcher · vault · prune · firm · bulb · fork · perch

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. vault — a safe
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. firm — decided
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. firm — steady
  10. bulb — for light
  11. prune — to trim
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. charge — in control
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bulb — for light
  18. firm — a company
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. charge — a price
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. fork — in a road

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