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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 116 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: key · fork · staff · chair · bark · calf · perch · season

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. staff — employees
  4. key — in music
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fork — in a road
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. key — for a lock
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bark — to shout
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. staff — a stick
  16. season — of the year
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. staff — employees
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. key — the most important part
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. chair — a leader
  23. season — in sport
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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