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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. object — an aim
  4. race — a contest
  5. wound — an injury
  6. race — humankind
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. object — a thing
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pitch — completely
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. present — there
  22. race — the arms race
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. object — to protest

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