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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 116 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: bank · cell · racket · pound · rash · calf · fork · perch

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. cell — in biology
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rash — hasty
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fork — in a road
  11. cell — a phone
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. rash — a series
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. pound — a weight
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. racket — for tennis

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