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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: perch · fork · suit · pit · lash · ground · land · bowl

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. pit — a hole
  4. suit — clothes
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ground — crushed
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. land — to come down
  10. pit — in a race
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. land — ground
  13. land — a country
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. fork — in a road
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. ground — a position

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