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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 120 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: pit · perch · lie · bat · file · net · pass · plane

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. file — a line of people
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bat — the animal
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. net — in sport
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. lie — to recline
  17. net — for catching
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. net — after costs
  22. file — a tool
  23. pit — a hole
  24. file — a document

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