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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: pitch · vault · perch · tube · leaves · stand · pit · calf

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pitch — completely
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. pit — in a race
  8. vault — a safe
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pit — a hole
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. stand — to bear

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