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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 116 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: firm · tear · suit · march · net · dip · perch · leaves

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — for catching
  4. suit — clothes
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. suit — in cards
  7. tear — to rip
  8. firm — decided
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. suit — to fit
  12. dip — to sink
  13. march — the month
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. tear — from crying
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. tear — from crying
  18. march — music
  19. firm — steady
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. firm — a company
  23. march — the month
  24. net — in sport

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