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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: bulb · bear · perch · bay · court · pound · mate · pitch

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bear — the animal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mate — a friend
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pound — a weight
  20. mate — a partner
  21. court — of a king
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. court — for sport
  24. bulb — for light

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