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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: perch · mouse · net · dip · ruler · prune · date · coach

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. prune — to trim
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. date — the fruit
  9. net — for catching
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. dip — to sink
  17. net — after costs
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. perch — the fish
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. net — in sport
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. ruler — for measuring

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