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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. suit — clothes
  3. lean — to bend
  4. march — the month
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. march — music
  7. saw — the tool
  8. lean — thin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. net — after costs
  12. suit — in cards
  13. net — in sport
  14. perch — the fish
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. content — the amount
  19. saw — the tool
  20. suit — to fit
  21. content — happy
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. march — the month
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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