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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 120 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: firm · bulb · mine · ball · fall · suit · track · perch

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. suit — to fit
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fall — the season
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mine — for digging
  9. suit — in cards
  10. perch — the fish
  11. track — a path
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. firm — a company
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. track — a song
  16. fall — to drop
  17. firm — decided
  18. bulb — for light
  19. suit — clothes
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ball — a dance
  22. track — to keep track
  23. firm — steady
  24. ball — a great time

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