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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
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: press · pitcher · perch · race · cabinet · bound · fork · ball

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ball — a dance
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bound — certain
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bound — tied together
  8. press — newspapers
  9. race — the arms race
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. press — a publisher
  16. race — a contest
  17. bound — obliged
  18. ball — a great time
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. press — to push
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. race — humankind

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