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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: scale · lean · pound · pit · last · saw · squash · perch

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pit — in a race
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. scale — size or range
  7. last — finally
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lean — thin
  11. squash — the sport
  12. lean — to bend
  13. last — to go on
  14. pound — a weight
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. last — final
  18. squash — to crush
  19. perch — the fish
  20. saw — the tool
  21. scale — in music
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pit — a hole

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