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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. perch — the fish
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mark — a trace
  8. lie — to recline
  9. net — after costs
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — to breed
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mate — a partner
  17. ball — a great time
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mark — a grade
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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