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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: rest · present · fork · perch · spell · wake · vault · pitch

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — a trail
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. rest — what's left
  7. present — the time now
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. vault — a safe
  12. spell — a short time
  13. present — a gift
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. present — there
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. spell — magic
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. rest — a break
  21. perch — the fish
  22. spell — letters
  23. fork — in a road
  24. pitch — completely

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