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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: bulb · bass · fine · roll · wound · perch · bowl · chair

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bass — low music
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. wound — an injury
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fine — high quality
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wound — an injury
  23. perch — the fish
  24. fine — all right

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