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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. net — after costs
  3. can — a tin
  4. current — happening now
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bear — the animal
  9. current — of water
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. net — for catching
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bat — the animal
  18. current — electric
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. can — a tin
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. net — in sport

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