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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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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: kick · present · bulb · perch · vault · pitch · stand · stock

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. present — a gift
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. kick — in football
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. present — the time now
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — goods
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. perch — the fish
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bulb — for light
  23. present — there
  24. bulb — for light

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