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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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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: lean · pitch · bark · pass · perch · can · cue · mate

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mate — a friend
  3. cue — a hint
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. lean — thin
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. mate — a partner
  11. pass — a permit
  12. can — to be able to
  13. cue — for pool
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. mate — to breed
  18. can — a tin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. perch — the fish
  21. cue — a signal
  22. can — a tin
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pass — to spend time

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