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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: kick · cue · pitch · perch · row · bulb · ground · jam

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. cue — for pool
  3. row — a line
  4. ground — the earth
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. row — to paddle
  13. cue — a hint
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. kick — in football
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ground — a position
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. perch — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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