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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bulb — for light
  4. perch — the fish
  5. prune — to trim
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. craft — a skill
  10. prune — to trim
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pitch — completely
  16. kick — in football
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mark — a trace
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. craft — boats

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