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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: fork · ruler · arm · rush · perch · ball · lash · field

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. field — for sport
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. field — farmland
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. field — a subject
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. perch — the fish
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rush — hurry

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