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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. net — for catching
  10. roll — a cake
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. roll — a list
  15. can — to be able to
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stand — to bear
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. sharp — clever
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. content — happy
  22. net — in sport
  23. content — the amount
  24. net — after costs

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