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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: suit · fork · fine · spell · club · perch · board · mine

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. suit — clothes
  5. club — a group
  6. spell — a short time
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fine — high quality
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. suit — to fit
  12. club — for dancing
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. club — for golf
  18. spell — magic
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fine — all right
  21. board — to get on
  22. perch — the fish
  23. spell — letters
  24. mine — an explosive

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