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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: stick · pit · season · arm · perch · current · mark · sharp

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. current — of water
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. current — electric
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. season — in sport
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. mark — a trace
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. current — happening now
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. season — of the year
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pit — in a race
  24. mark — a grade

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