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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: mate · firm · net · hide · perch · stand · mouse · fan

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. mate — a partner
  4. stand — to bear
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. net — after costs
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. firm — decided
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mate — to breed
  11. firm — a company
  12. mate — a friend
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. net — in sport
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. firm — steady
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. net — for catching
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. fan — a supporter

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