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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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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: wave · charge · root · march · fork · perch · pit · swing

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. root — of a word
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. perch — the fish
  6. charge — in control
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. swing — in golf
  9. march — music
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. fork — in a road
  12. charge — a price
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pit — in a race
  15. charge — electricity
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. root — the cause
  18. march — the month
  19. swing — to play on
  20. pit — a hole
  21. march — the month
  22. swing — music
  23. fork — to eat with
  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