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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: perch · craft · trunk · saw · fork · wave · charge · lean

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. lean — thin
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. saw — the tool
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fork — in a road
  9. charge — a price
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. craft — boats
  15. lean — to bend
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. charge — in control
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. trunk — of a car

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