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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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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 · stick · date · craft · bass · perch · wind · arm

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wind — moving air
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bass — low music
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. perch — the fish
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bass — the fish
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wind — moving air
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. craft — boats
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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