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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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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: mate · bear · pitch · saw · perch · key · mark · bulb

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a partner
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — in music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. perch — the fish
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bulb — for light
  24. saw — the tool

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