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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 · lie · pitch · snap · fine · bay · last · plane

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. lie — to recline
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — all right
  10. perch — the fish
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. last — finally
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. last — to go on
  17. pitch — completely
  18. plane — a tool
  19. snap — to click
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. last — final
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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