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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: tube · bank · pitch · pitcher · toast · perch · season · fork

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. season — of the year
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitch — completely
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. toast — bread
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. perch — the fish
  20. fork — in a road
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. tube — the underground
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. tube — a container

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