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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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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: nail · fork · fall · present · arm · perch · snap · suit

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. fall — to drop
  5. present — there
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fall — the season
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. present — a gift
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. snap — to click
  18. suit — in cards
  19. perch — the fish
  20. present — the time now
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. suit — clothes

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