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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.

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: sharp · swing · pitcher · tube · face · perch · pass · ruler

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. swing — music
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. face — part of the head
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. swing — to play on
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. perch — the fish
  14. sharp — clever
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. swing — in golf
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. pass — a permit
  20. face — to confront
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. face — to point toward
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. perch — for a bird

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