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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: lie · plane · bear · racket · tube · rush · net · perch

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. net — for catching
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. net — in sport
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. net — after costs
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. tube — a container
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rush — to hurry

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