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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.

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: perch · fork · pitcher · wake · bark · squash · suit · plane

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. squash — to crush
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — in a road
  6. perch — the fish
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wake — a trail
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bark — to shout
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. suit — to fit
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pitcher — a jug

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