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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: perch · racket · net · temple · jam · lean · rock · scale

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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. lean — to bend
  4. scale — size or range
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. rock — music
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. scale — in music
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. lean — thin
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. rock — a stone
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. net — for catching

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