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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cell · can · jam · wake · net · perch · pitch · fine

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. can — a tin
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. net — in sport
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. perch — the fish
  9. net — for catching
  10. wake — a trail
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — high quality
  14. can — a tin
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. net — after costs
  18. can — to be able to
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. pitch — completely
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. jam — in traffic

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