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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: pitch · ball · band · nail · fan · perch · date · temple

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pitch — completely
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. date — the fruit
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ball — a dance
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. band — a music group
  22. perch — the fish
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. band — a ring

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