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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: chest · root · lean · mate · bulb · suit · perch · pitch

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. root — the cause
  3. suit — to fit
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. suit — in cards
  6. chest — of your body
  7. lean — to bend
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. root — of a plant
  14. chest — a box
  15. pitch — completely
  16. mate — to breed
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bulb — for light
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bulb — for light
  22. chest — of your body
  23. root — of a word
  24. mate — a friend

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