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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: swing · season · perch · nail · chair · scale · bulb · bowl

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. perch — the fish
  6. scale — in music
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. swing — in golf
  13. season — of the year
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. swing — music
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. scale — size or range
  20. swing — to play on
  21. chair — a leader
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bulb — for light
  24. season — in sport

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