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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — music
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. suit — to fit
  8. perch — the fish
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. suit — in cards
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pitch — completely
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — crushed
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. tube — a container
  17. swing — to play on
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. ground — a position
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. temple — a place of worship

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