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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 120 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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. net — after costs
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. track — a song
  4. perch — the fish
  5. march — music
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. net — in sport
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fork — in a road
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stand — to bear
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. march — the month
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. track — to keep track
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. march — the month
  19. track — a path
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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