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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: ball · net · rush · perch · cabinet · toast · root · present

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. root — of a plant
  3. present — a gift
  4. rush — hurry
  5. ball — a great time
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. perch — the fish
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — the cause
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. present — there
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. present — the time now
  18. toast — bread
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. ball — a dance
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. net — after costs
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rush — a thrill

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