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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: straw · present · land · perch · net · stand · bass · bulb

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bulb — for light
  5. land — a country
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. present — there
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bass — low music
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. present — the time now
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. net — for catching
  18. perch — the fish
  19. present — a gift
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stand — to bear
  22. net — after costs
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. net — in 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