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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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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: charge · temple · fork · kick · net · perch · field · pitch

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. charge — in control
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. field — a subject
  9. field — for sport
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. kick — in football
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. net — after costs
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fork — in a road
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pitch — completely
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. perch — the fish
  24. charge — a price

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