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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. lie — to recline
  3. can — to be able to
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mate — to breed
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — for catching
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. foot — a measure
  13. net — after costs
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. mate — a friend
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. can — a tin
  20. bear — the animal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. can — a tin
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mate — a partner

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