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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 116 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: tube · bear · perch · fine · pitch · fork · wave · net

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. net — after costs
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. fine — all right
  6. net — in sport
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fine — high quality
  10. tube — the underground
  11. pitch — completely
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. net — for catching
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bear — the animal
  20. tube — a container
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bear — to put up with

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