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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.

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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: pitcher · track · pop · rest · perch · staff · net · fan

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. track — to keep track
  3. pop — soda
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. staff — a stick
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. track — a path
  13. staff — employees
  14. pop — music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pop — to visit
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. track — a song
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. staff — employees
  23. perch — the fish
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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