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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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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: perch · ruler · trunk · pit · bulb · can · pitch · stem

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stem — to come from
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. can — a tin
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pit — in a race
  18. can — a tin
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bulb — of a plant

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