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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
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: pop · sharp · foot · object · perch · bear · clip · fork

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. pop — music
  3. bear — the animal
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. object — an aim
  7. pop — soda
  8. bear — the animal
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pop — to visit
  13. object — a thing
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. object — to protest
  16. clip — to cut
  17. clip — a video
  18. sharp — clever
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. clip — for paper

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