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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: wake · lean · perch · pound · kid · rock · bulb · roll

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. bulb — for light
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. kid — child
  9. lean — to bend
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lean — thin
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. perch — the fish
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. roll — a cake
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rock — music
  21. wake — a trail
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. kid — to tease
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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