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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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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: can · pit · shower · perch · tear · net · foot · cabinet

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. can — a tin
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. perch — the fish
  6. can — a tin
  7. tear — from crying
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. can — to be able to
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. foot — a measure
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. net — after costs
  15. shower — to wash
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. net — in sport
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. net — for catching
  21. pit — in a race
  22. shower — rain
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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