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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 116 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: pitch · safe · land · lie · bank · drill · perch · fall

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. drill — the tool
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bank — for money
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. land — a country
  8. perch — the fish
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fall — the season
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bank — for money
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. drill — army training
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fall — to drop
  18. lie — to recline
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. land — to come down
  23. drill — a practice
  24. land — ground

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