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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: bowl · perch · net · track · pound · bank · kick · fork

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. track — a path
  3. net — after costs
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. track — a song
  8. bank — for money
  9. track — to keep track
  10. kick — in football
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bank — for money
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pound — a weight
  17. net — for catching
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. fork — in a road
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bowl — a dish

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