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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 · file · pitcher · coach · perch · toast · suit · date

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. date — the fruit
  6. toast — bread
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. perch — the fish
  10. suit — in cards
  11. net — after costs
  12. file — a line of people
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. file — a tool
  15. net — in sport
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. net — for catching
  21. file — a document
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. coach — a trainer

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