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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 116 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.

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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: march · patient · suit · key · stock · perch · can · net

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. can — to be able to
  4. march — the month
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. can — a tin
  7. key — in music
  8. net — in sport
  9. suit — in cards
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. net — for catching
  15. perch — the fish
  16. key — for a lock
  17. march — music
  18. suit — clothes
  19. key — the most important part
  20. march — the month
  21. can — a tin
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stock — shares
  24. net — after costs

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