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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.

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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: perch · fall · snap · bear · suit · deal · bay · net

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bear — the animal
  7. net — for catching
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. fall — to drop
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. fall — the season
  14. snap — to click
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. net — after costs
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. net — in sport
  23. perch — the fish
  24. fall — to drop

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