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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.

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: bulb · arm · scale · saw · wave · pop · chair · perch

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pop — soda
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. perch — the fish
  14. pop — music
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. scale — in music
  17. chair — a leader
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. scale — size or range
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chair — to sit on

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