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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 120 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: bat · cap · object · perch · bowl · fork · net · fine

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. net — after costs
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. object — to protest
  9. net — for catching
  10. perch — the fish
  11. fine — all right
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bat — the animal
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — an aim
  24. fine — a penalty

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