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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bat · object · pitcher · current · perch · fork · field · prune

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. object — an aim
  4. field — a subject
  5. field — for sport
  6. current — electric
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. fork — in a road
  12. object — a thing
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. field — farmland
  15. prune — to trim
  16. current — of water
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. bat — the animal
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. object — to protest
  23. current — happening now
  24. prune — to trim

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