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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 120 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: last · chest · racket · perch · fork · fall · plane · charge

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fall — the season
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. last — finally
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fall — to drop
  8. last — final
  9. plane — a tool
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fall — to drop
  12. charge — a price
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. charge — in control
  15. perch — the fish
  16. chest — of your body
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. chest — of your body
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. chest — a box
  23. charge — electricity
  24. last — to go on

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