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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. perch — the fish
  4. land — ground
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. present — there
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. land — a country
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. object — a thing
  14. present — a gift
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bank — for money
  18. object — an aim
  19. bank — for money
  20. present — the time now
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. object — to protest
  23. bark — to shout
  24. land — to come down

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