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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: pitch · can · dip · firm · last · rest · perch · bark

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bark — to shout
  3. dip — to sink
  4. rest — a break
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. firm — a company
  7. pitch — completely
  8. rest — what's left
  9. can — to be able to
  10. last — to go on
  11. can — a tin
  12. rest — what's left
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. firm — decided
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. firm — steady
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. last — finally
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. can — a tin
  24. last — final

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