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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: racket · club · firm · stick · perch · fork

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. 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. firm — a company
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. club — a group
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fork — in a road
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. firm — decided
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. perch — the fish
  10. club — for golf
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. club — for dancing
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. firm — steady
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. 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