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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 · date · bank · temple · pitch · game · fork · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. game — wild animals
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. pitch — completely
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bank — of a river
  11. date — the fruit
  12. bank — for money
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. perch — the fish
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. game — a match
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. date — on the calendar

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