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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 120 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 · bear · face · wave · bound · racket · perch · wind

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. bound — tied together
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bound — certain
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wind — moving air
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bound — obliged
  18. face — to confront
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. face — part of the head
  23. wave — with your hand
  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