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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: present · net · bay · sharp · rush · lean · perch · club

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. net — after costs
  4. club — for golf
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. perch — the fish
  7. club — for dancing
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — the time now
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. present — there
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — for catching
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. lean — thin
  21. club — a group
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. sharp — clever

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