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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pitch — completely
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bulb — for light
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. perch — the fish
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. squash — to crush

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