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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 · perch · cabinet · cap · prune · pop · tube · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bulb — for light
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pop — soda
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cap — a hat
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cap — a lid
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. prune — to trim
  14. perch — the fish
  15. tube — the underground
  16. pop — music
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cap — of ice
  24. ruler — for measuring

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