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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: jam · calf · trunk · perch · pitcher · fall · dip · field

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fall — to drop
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. field — farmland
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. fall — to drop
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. dip — to sink
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — for sport
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. perch — the fish

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