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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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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: bulb · perch · present · deal · lean · nail · mark · pit

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. perch — the fish
  4. pit — a hole
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mark — a grade
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lean — thin
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pit — in a race
  16. present — a gift
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. present — there
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. present — the time now
  24. nail — on a finger

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