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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: racket · perch · scale · suit · press · clip · fork · calf

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. suit — to fit
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. press — newspapers
  10. suit — in cards
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. clip — a video
  13. press — to push
  14. press — a publisher
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. scale — in music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. clip — to cut
  19. perch — the fish
  20. suit — clothes
  21. clip — for paper
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. scale — size or range
  24. perch — for a bird

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