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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 · perch · jam · toast · prune · swing · game · cue

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. prune — to trim
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — bread
  5. prune — to trim
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. swing — to play on
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cue — for pool
  13. game — a match
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. swing — music
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. game — wild animals
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cue — a signal
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bulb — for light
  23. perch — the fish
  24. cue — a hint

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