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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: pit · bound · club · fan · coach · fork · chip · perch

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bound — certain
  4. perch — the fish
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. club — for dancing
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bound — obliged
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. pit — a hole
  17. fork — in a road
  18. chip — for betting
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — a group
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. chip — to eat
  24. pit — in a race

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