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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.

Make a worksheet

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: net · season · lie · perch · bear · safe · march · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bear — the animal
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. lie — to recline
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — in sport
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. perch — the fish
  13. march — the month
  14. march — the month
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. club — for dancing
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. season — of the year
  21. bear — the animal
  22. march — music
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. club — for golf

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