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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.

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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: bulb · rest · perch · cabinet · rash · pitcher · mate · can

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rash — hasty
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. perch — the fish
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mate — a friend
  13. can — to be able to
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. can — a tin
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rest — a break
  21. can — a tin
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mate — a partner

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