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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 116 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: bear · perch · bulb · wave · prune · fan · firm · club

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. firm — steady
  5. bear — the animal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. club — for golf
  8. prune — to trim
  9. club — for dancing
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. firm — decided
  14. club — a group
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. prune — to trim
  21. firm — a company
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wave — with your hand

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