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

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. lie — to recline
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — after costs
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. net — for catching
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. can — a tin
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. track — a song
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. toast — bread
  24. can — a tin

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