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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: perch · bat · rest · key · bulb · vault · mark · wound

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rest — a break
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bulb — for light
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. key — in music
  9. perch — the fish
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. mark — a trace
  14. wound — an injury
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rest — what's left

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