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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pit — in a race
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. net — after costs
  13. pit — a hole
  14. prune — to trim
  15. net — in sport
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. prune — to trim
  24. net — for catching

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