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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · mine · land · date · bay · club · bulb

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bulb — for light
  8. current — electric
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — a country
  11. land — ground
  12. bulb — for light
  13. current — of water
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. club — for golf
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. current — happening now
  20. club — for dancing
  21. mine — for digging
  22. perch — the fish
  23. club — a group
  24. date — the fruit

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