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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.

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: perch · trunk · spell · fan · pit · lean · club · suit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. club — for dancing
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. perch — the fish
  5. club — a group
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. club — for golf
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. lean — to bend
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pit — a hole
  14. spell — magic
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. spell — a short time
  17. suit — clothes
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pit — in a race
  20. suit — in cards
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. lean — thin
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. spell — letters

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