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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 116 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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bank — for money
  5. season — of the year
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. mark — a grade
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mark — a trace
  13. perch — the fish
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. scale — size or range
  20. season — in sport
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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