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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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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: stick · pass · pitch · perch · pit · arm · pound · leaves

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pit — a hole
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pit — in a race
  18. perch — the fish
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pitch — a sports field

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