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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: pitch · march · tear · stand · ball · bay · perch · clip

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. clip — a video
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stand — to bear
  5. clip — to cut
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. clip — for paper
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. tear — from crying
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. march — the month
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. tear — from crying
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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