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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. saw — the tool
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. season — of the year
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pitch — completely
  16. suit — clothes
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. suit — in cards
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. season — in sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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