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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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Word bank
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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pitch — completely
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. chest — a box
  11. chest — of your body
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. perch — the fish
  16. rock — a stone
  17. dip — to sink
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rock — music
  24. chest — of your body

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