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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: fan · net · saw · perch · season · fork · pit · row

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. perch — the fish
  5. net — in sport
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. net — after costs
  10. saw — the tool
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. net — for catching
  13. pit — in a race
  14. fork — in a road
  15. row — a line
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. season — of the year
  19. pit — a hole
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. season — in sport
  24. fork — to eat with

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