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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: perch · fork · band · foot · vault · cell

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. cell — in biology
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. band — a ring
  8. cell — a phone
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. vault — a safe
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. band — a music group

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