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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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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: lie · ground · fork · foot · mark · current · saw · perch

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. current — happening now
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mark — a trace
  6. saw — the tool
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. perch — the fish
  10. mark — a grade
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. current — of water
  15. lie — to recline
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ground — a position
  18. current — electric
  19. ground — crushed
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. ground — the earth
  24. fork — a garden tool

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