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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: saw · rock · perch · rash · face · stand · fork · spell

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rash — a series
  4. stand — to bear
  5. spell — letters
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rash — hasty
  10. face — to point toward
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rock — music
  13. fork — in a road
  14. face — part of the head
  15. perch — the fish
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — a short time
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. face — to confront
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. saw — the tool

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