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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: racket · charge · perch · wind · fork · prune · pit · stick

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pit — a hole
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pit — in a race
  12. fork — in a road
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. charge — a price
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. charge — in control
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. wind — moving air
  24. perch — the fish

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