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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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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. perch — the fish
  7. march — the month
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. chest — of your body
  12. march — music
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. chest — a box
  15. kick — in football
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. march — the month
  18. pitch — completely
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chest — of your body
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. kick — a thrill

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