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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: swing · fork · safe · chip · bark · scale · perch · suit

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. perch — the fish
  6. chip — to eat
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fork — in a road
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. suit — in cards
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bark — to shout
  21. chip — for betting
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. perch — for a bird

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