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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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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: sharp · spring · perch · bat · suit · can · object · pit

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — a coil
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. object — a thing
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. object — to protest
  11. suit — to fit
  12. perch — the fish
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bat — the animal
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. object — an aim
  20. pit — in a race
  21. suit — in cards
  22. sharp — clever
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bat — for baseball

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