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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 · date · wave · sharp · pass · rest · foot · pitch

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. sharp — clever
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. foot — a measure
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. perch — the fish
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rest — a break
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. date — the fruit
  22. pitch — completely
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. foot — part of the body

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