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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.

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: bore · plane · perch · straw · lash · rock · can · net

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bore — to tire
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. can — a tin
  6. net — after costs
  7. rock — a stone
  8. can — to be able to
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to drill
  18. net — for catching
  19. can — a tin
  20. plane — a tool
  21. perch — the fish
  22. rock — music
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. straw — dry grass

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