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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: racket · bulb · fan · leaves · perch · bat · mark · fork

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mark — a trace
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bulb — for light
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fork — in a road
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bat — the animal
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. perch — the fish

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