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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: wake · fan · bore · cue · perch · wound · bulb · cabinet

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wake — a trail
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cue — a hint
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cue — for pool
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bore — to drill
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bulb — for light
  19. perch — the fish
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bore — to tire
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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