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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: perch · saw · pit · firm · mate · shower · board · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. firm — decided
  3. mate — a partner
  4. board — to get on
  5. saw — the tool
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bulb — for light
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. firm — a company
  13. pit — a hole
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. firm — steady
  16. shower — rain
  17. perch — the fish
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. shower — to wash
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. board — a committee

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