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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: snap · pitch · sharp · object · fork · perch · bear · key

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. object — to protest
  5. fork — in a road
  6. sharp — clever
  7. key — the most important part
  8. object — a thing
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bear — the animal
  12. snap — to click
  13. pitch — completely
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. key — for a lock
  16. object — an aim
  17. key — in music
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. perch — the fish
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. bear — the animal

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