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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
468
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: mark · hide · pitch · bowl · perch · saw · lean · bulb

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. lean — thin
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. mark — a grade
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pitch — completely
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bulb — for light
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mark — a trace

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