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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: perch · bay · ruler · wake · lie · plane · net · stem

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. net — in sport
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. net — for catching
  8. perch — the fish
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. plane — a tool
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. wake — a trail
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stem — of a plant

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