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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. net — after costs
  4. suit — clothes
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. net — in sport
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. row — a line
  10. row — to paddle
  11. perch — the fish
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. suit — in cards
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. toast — bread
  16. net — for catching
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. suit — to fit

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