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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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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: pitch · perch · rush · firm · straw · march · track · lean

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. perch — the fish
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. march — the month
  5. track — a song
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. firm — steady
  8. pitch — completely
  9. march — the month
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. firm — decided
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. track — to keep track
  15. firm — a company
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. lean — thin
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. lean — to bend
  22. track — a path
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. march — music

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