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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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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: fall · tube · pitch · cap · bay · bark · firm · perch

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — to shout
  5. tube — the underground
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. perch — the fish
  9. firm — a company
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. fall — the season
  13. firm — decided
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cap — a lid
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. firm — steady

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