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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: wound · fork · perch · bank · ruler · arm · fall · pass

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wound — an injury
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. fork — in a road
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bank — for money
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. perch — the fish
  24. fall — the season

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