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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 120 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: perch · prune · lean · ball · lash · bass · pitch · safe

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bass — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bass — low music
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lean — thin
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pitch — completely
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. perch — the fish
  23. lean — to rest against
  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