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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.

Make a worksheet

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: drill · perch · fork · ball · leaves · charge · court · wound

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  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. fork — to eat with
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — the tool
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. wound — an injury
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fork — in a road
  8. ball — a dance
  9. court — of law
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. court — for sport
  13. charge — electricity
  14. court — of a king
  15. charge — in control
  16. wound — an injury
  17. charge — a price
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. ball — a great time
  20. drill — a practice
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. perch — for a bird
  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