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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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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: vault · suit · bulb · key · perch · cell · nail · wound

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. key — in music
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. key — the most important part
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cell — in biology
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bulb — for light
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. suit — in cards
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. vault — a safe
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. wound — an injury
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. perch — the fish

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