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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: perch · sharp · fork · stem · stand · bowl · race · pit

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stand — to bear
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. perch — the fish
  5. race — humankind
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. stem — to come from
  11. fork — in a road
  12. race — a contest
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. race — the arms race
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. pit — in a race
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. pit — a hole

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