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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 · field · dip · season · fine · bay · net · stem

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. net — after costs
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. field — farmland
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. dip — to sink
  11. season — of the year
  12. net — for catching
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. field — a subject
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stem — to come from
  20. net — in sport
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. fine — high quality
  24. field — for 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