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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 116 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: bay · board · perch · pitch · saw · tube · pass · row

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. tube — a container
  4. row — a line
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. perch — the fish
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. saw — the tool
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. row — to paddle
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. tube — the underground
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pass — to succeed

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