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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: wound · fork · perch · firm · rush · spell · current · season

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. perch — the fish
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. spell — magic
  10. firm — a company
  11. current — electric
  12. firm — decided
  13. rush — hurry
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fork — in a road
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. season — in sport
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. firm — steady
  22. spell — letters
  23. wound — an injury
  24. season — of the year

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