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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: net · can · object · perch · tube · pitcher · game · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. game — a match
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — to protest
  5. net — after costs
  6. can — a tin
  7. net — in sport
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stem — to come from
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. object — an aim
  12. can — a tin
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. tube — a container
  16. net — for catching
  17. game — wild animals
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. tube — the underground
  24. perch — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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