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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.

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 · rest · mark · jam · pop · perch · ground · saw

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  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. rest — a break
  2. pop — soda
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pop — music
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. saw — the tool
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pitch — completely
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pop — to visit
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. perch — the fish

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