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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pitch — completely
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. club — a group
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. can — a tin
  9. track — a path
  10. club — for golf
  11. perch — the fish
  12. can — to be able to
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. club — for dancing
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. track — to keep track
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. tube — the underground
  23. track — a song
  24. tube — a container

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