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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 116 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 · stock · leaves · saw · perch · lash · deal · suit

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stock — shares
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. stock — goods
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. suit — clothes
  18. saw — the tool
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. saw — the tool

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