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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: pass · game · suit · net · perch · tube · dip · craft

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. suit — to fit
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. suit — in cards
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. suit — clothes
  9. tube — the underground
  10. net — in sport
  11. tube — a container
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. game — wild animals
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. craft — boats
  17. perch — the fish
  18. net — after costs
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. game — a match
  21. net — for catching
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — a permit

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