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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: mark · spring · scale · wave · trunk · bulb · perch · racket

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. scale — in music
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a trace
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. spring — a coil
  10. spring — the season
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bulb — for light
  13. spring — of water
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bulb — for light
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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