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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 · current · bulb · temple · pit · staff · hand · board

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. hand — in cards
  3. current — of water
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. current — electric
  9. hand — help
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. staff — a stick
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. board — to get on
  15. staff — employees
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bulb — for light
  18. staff — employees
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. pit — a hole
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. current — happening now
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bulb — for light

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