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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 120 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: cabinet · arm · bat · board · bulb · nail · ball · perch

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ball — a great time
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. board — a committee
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bat — the animal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. ball — a dance
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. board — to get on
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. arm — part of the body

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