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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
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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: key · content · face · saw · coach · perch · bulb · board

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. content — happy
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — part of the head
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bulb — for light
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. key — the most important part
  10. saw — the tool
  11. content — the amount
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. saw — the tool
  14. face — to point toward
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. board — a committee
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. board — to get on
  22. bulb — for light
  23. key — in music
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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