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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: rest · safe · pitch · bowl · stand · perch · bay · rush

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rest — what's left
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. rest — a break
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. pitch — completely
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. rest — what's left

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