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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · net · bay · mug · perch · hide · pitcher · pass

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. net — for catching
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. perch — the fish
  9. mug — a face
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pass — a permit
  12. net — in sport
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. net — after costs
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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