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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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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: bear · racket · stand · fork · perch · track · wake · drill

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stand — to bear
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. wake — a trail
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. track — a song
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. drill — army training
  16. track — a path
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. fork — in a road
  22. drill — the tool
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. track — to keep track

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