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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: mark · club · pit · fan · perch · nail · season · fork

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for golf
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fork — in a road
  9. season — in sport
  10. mark — a trace
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mark — a grade
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. club — for dancing
  16. season — of the year
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fan — a supporter

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