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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: bear · perch · cabinet · rock · present · kid · pop · bulb

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. present — a gift
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bear — the animal
  6. kid — child
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. present — the time now
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bulb — for light
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — soda
  16. present — there
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pop — music
  20. bear — the animal
  21. kid — to tease
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rock — music
  24. perch — the fish

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