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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: suit · game · mate · bore · pop · rock · perch · bulb

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — soda
  3. game — a match
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. mate — a partner
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bulb — for light
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mate — to breed
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rock — music
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bore — to drill
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — wild animals
  22. perch — the fish
  23. suit — clothes
  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