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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: arm · pitcher · pitch · lie · straw · stem · perch · leaves

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stem — to come from
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitch — completely
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. lie — to recline
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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