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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: shower · charge · fork · bowl · perch · present · firm · straw

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. firm — a company
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. present — there
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. firm — steady
  10. charge — a price
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. present — a gift
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. firm — decided
  15. present — the time now
  16. shower — rain
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. charge — in control
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. perch — the fish
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. charge — electricity

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