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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rest — what's left
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. chair — a leader
  20. dip — to sink
  21. perch — the fish
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. hide — animal skin

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