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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: present · coach · kid · net · rock · can · perch · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — a container
  3. perch — the fish
  4. net — after costs
  5. rock — music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. present — there
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. can — a tin
  13. net — in sport
  14. present — a gift
  15. kid — to tease
  16. can — a tin
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. tube — the underground
  19. present — the time now
  20. net — for catching
  21. rock — a stone
  22. kid — child
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. can — to be able to

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