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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: fork · lie · perch · pitcher · trunk · board · racket · degree

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. fork — in a road
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. degree — from a university
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. degree — temperature
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. perch — the fish
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. degree — an amount
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

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