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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: object · toast · perch · stem · straw · roll · arm · bulb

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bulb — for light
  3. perch — the fish
  4. object — a thing
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — to come from
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. object — to protest
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. roll — a cake
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. toast — bread
  22. roll — a list
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bulb — of a plant

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