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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.

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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: lash · calf · fork · perch · suit · chair · branch · pit

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. suit — clothes
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — in a road
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. chair — a leader
  10. pit — a hole
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. perch — the fish
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. branch — a division
  20. pit — in a race
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. calf — a young animal

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