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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: perch · pitcher · club · rock · saw · press · fork · bound

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. club — a group
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rock — a stone
  5. club — for dancing
  6. rock — music
  7. fork — in a road
  8. club — for golf
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. press — to push
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — tied together
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. press — a publisher
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bound — certain

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