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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: present · bulb · game · perch · club · nail · bass · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. club — for golf
  6. bulb — for light
  7. present — there
  8. club — for dancing
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bass — low music
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. club — a group
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. game — wild animals
  16. perch — the fish
  17. present — the time now
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bass — the fish
  21. present — a gift
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. game — a match

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