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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: cabinet · rest · tube · perch · pit · pitch · safe · cell

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pit — in a race
  7. rest — a break
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pitch — completely
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cell — in biology
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. cell — a phone
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. perch — the fish
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rest — what's left
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — the underground

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