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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: key · perch · cabinet · stand · bulb · mouse · fall · scale

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. perch — the fish
  3. fall — the season
  4. stand — to bear
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. key — the most important part
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. scale — in music
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. key — in music
  17. fall — to drop
  18. key — for a lock
  19. scale — size or range
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. perch — for a bird

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