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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: prune · foot · suit · perch · pitch · pound · pass · arm

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pass — a permit
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pitch — completely
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. pound — a weight
  15. suit — to fit
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. foot — a measure
  24. perch — the fish

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