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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bat · foot · plane · perch · pitch · march · bulb · board

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. march — music
  3. bat — the animal
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. board — to get on
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. march — the month
  8. pitch — completely
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. board — a committee
  12. bulb — for light
  13. foot — a measure
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. march — the month
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. plane — in geometry

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