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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. lean — thin
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. tube — a container
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — to bear
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. lie — to recline
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. tube — the underground
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lean — to bend
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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