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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — after costs
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. court — of law
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. court — of a king
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. net — for catching
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. court — for sport
  23. snap — to click
  24. perch — for a bird

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