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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · mug · tube · perch · ball · pitch

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pitch — completely
  4. last — final
  5. tube — a container
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. perch — the fish
  13. last — to go on
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. last — finally
  18. ball — a great time

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