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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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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. prune — to trim
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bank — of a river
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bank — for money
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. prune — to trim
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bank — for money

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