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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pitch — completely
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — a law
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bark — to shout
  13. perch — the fish
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. rule — government
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bowl — a dish

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