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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.

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: content · mark · last · pitch · perch · mouse · hide · bulb

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. content — happy
  3. bulb — for light
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. last — to go on
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pitch — completely
  12. mark — a trace
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. perch — the fish
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bulb — for light
  19. content — the amount
  20. last — final
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. last — finally
  24. hide — to keep secret

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