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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: chair · pitch · cabinet · nail · suit · perch · kick · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. perch — the fish
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pitch — completely
  6. kick — in football
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. suit — to fit
  13. chair — a leader
  14. suit — in cards
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. prune — to trim

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