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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: perch · lie · temple · dip · racket · safe · net · pitch

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. net — after costs
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. lie — to recline
  6. dip — to sink
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. net — in sport
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pitch — completely
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. net — for catching
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. perch — the fish

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