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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: fork · bulb · snap · arm · chip · stick · pitch · perch

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. chip — for betting
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. snap — to click
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. perch — the fish
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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