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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: perch · ball · bulb · pitcher · nail · fork · race · root

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. race — the arms race
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. perch — the fish
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. race — humankind
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. root — of a plant
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. race — a contest
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. root — the cause
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. root — of a word

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