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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fork · last · bass · perch · shower · rock · court · mug

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. fork — in a road
  3. court — of law
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. mug — to rob
  6. rock — a stone
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. last — finally
  10. shower — to wash
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. mug — a face
  13. shower — rain
  14. court — of a king
  15. last — final
  16. mug — a cup
  17. last — to go on
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bass — low music
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rock — music
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. court — for sport
  24. fork — to eat with

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