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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: bear · perch · tube · season · prune · net · object · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. net — in sport
  3. object — an aim
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — after costs
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bear — the animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. object — a thing
  13. tube — a container
  14. bear — the animal
  15. perch — the fish
  16. prune — to trim
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. season — of the year
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. season — in sport
  22. object — to protest
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. tube — the underground

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