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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: game · court · stand · fork · bear · toast · perch · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. court — of law
  3. court — of a king
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bass — low music
  7. fork — in a road
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. perch — the fish
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stand — to bear
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. toast — bread
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a match
  21. court — for sport
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. perch — for a bird

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