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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. object — an aim
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. object — a thing
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. snap — to click
  17. object — to protest
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — completely
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. perch — for a bird

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