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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: racket · net · perch · bay · charge · clip · saw · lie

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. saw — the tool
  4. clip — for paper
  5. charge — in control
  6. clip — to cut
  7. perch — the fish
  8. lie — to recline
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. charge — electricity
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. clip — a video
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. net — after costs
  20. charge — a price
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — in sport
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bay — a horse colour

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