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

Word bank: bulb · board · cue · track · stick · fork · perch · pitch

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. track — a path
  5. pitch — completely
  6. fork — in a road
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bulb — for light
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a song
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. board — to get on
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bulb — for light
  17. perch — the fish
  18. board — a committee
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. cue — a signal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. board — a flat piece

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