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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: kick · net · object · bear · pound · perch · sharp · pop

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. object — a thing
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pop — music
  4. net — in sport
  5. object — an aim
  6. pop — soda
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. object — to protest
  9. net — after costs
  10. sharp — clever
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. net — for catching
  13. kick — in football
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — a weight
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bear — the animal
  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