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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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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: lash · season · perch · scale · fork · ruler · court · key

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. court — of law
  3. season — of the year
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. scale — size or range
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. season — in sport
  8. court — for sport
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. fork — in a road
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. perch — the fish
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — in music
  21. court — of a king
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. lash — an eyelash

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