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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 120 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: leaves · perch · tube · saw · fine · bore · stem · pitch

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. tube — a container
  7. stem — to come from
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fine — all right
  18. bore — to drill
  19. tube — the underground
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pitch — completely
  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