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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chair · fall · bulb · rock · perch · key · can · nail

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rock — music
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bulb — for light
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rock — a stone
  14. can — a tin
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. key — in music
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. bulb — for light
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fall — to drop
  23. key — the most important part
  24. chair — a professorship

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