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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: cabinet · perch · court · bulb · scale · straw · rush · patient

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. court — of law
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bulb — for light
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rush — hurry
  15. court — of a king
  16. bulb — for light
  17. perch — the fish
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. court — for sport
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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