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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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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. chest — of your body
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pop — music
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. chest — of your body
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. chest — a box
  12. pop — soda
  13. fork — in a road
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pitch — completely
  22. perch — the fish
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. leaves — of a tree

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