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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · field · fork · ground · hide · fan · stand · dip

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. stand — to bear
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. dip — to sink
  7. field — a subject
  8. fork — in a road
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. ground — a position
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. field — farmland
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. ground — crushed
  20. field — for sport
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. fan — a supporter

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