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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.

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: season · stand · straw · bowl · roll · bulb · scale · perch

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. scale — size or range
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. season — of the year
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. roll — a cake
  9. scale — in music
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. roll — a list
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bulb — for light
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. season — in sport
  20. perch — the fish
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. stand — to bear
  24. scale — for weighing

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