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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 116 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: bulb · key · perch · row · hide · cue · band · wake

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. band — a ring
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a line
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. cue — for pool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. band — a music group
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wake — a trail
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. cue — a signal
  24. key — the most important part

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