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

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. mug — a cup
  4. net — after costs
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. perch — the fish
  12. cap — a hat
  13. prune — to trim
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. prune — to trim
  16. net — in sport
  17. mark — a trace
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cap — a lid
  20. mug — a face
  21. cap — of ice
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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