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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.

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: pitch · pitcher · safe · bear · temple · perch · tube · mark

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  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. pitcher — a jug
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. tube — a container
  6. pitch — completely
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mark — a trace
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  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