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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.

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: perch · fork · trunk · firm · plane · rash · nail · press

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  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. fork — a garden tool
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. perch — the fish
  6. firm — decided
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — to push
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rash — hasty
  12. plane — a tool
  13. firm — steady
  14. fork — in a road
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rash — a series
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. firm — a company
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. trunk — of a car
  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