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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: clip · stand · cue · perch · pitch · race · bulb · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — completely
  4. stand — to bear
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — for pool
  9. clip — a video
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. race — the arms race
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. clip — for paper
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. race — a contest
  19. lie — to recline
  20. perch — the fish
  21. clip — to cut
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. race — humankind

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