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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: can · trunk · net · object · mate · season · perch · sharp

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. net — for catching
  3. mate — a friend
  4. season — in sport
  5. perch — the fish
  6. object — a thing
  7. mate — to breed
  8. net — after costs
  9. object — an aim
  10. can — a tin
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. object — to protest
  13. mate — a partner
  14. net — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. season — of the year
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. can — a tin
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. can — to be able to
  24. sharp — exactly

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