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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: lash · fall · firm · current · perch · fork · content · fine

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. current — happening now
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. current — electric
  8. fall — the season
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. fall — to drop
  11. content — happy
  12. fine — all right
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. firm — a company
  15. fork — in a road
  16. firm — decided
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. content — the amount
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. perch — the fish
  24. current — of water

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