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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: squash · pitch · bulb · face · perch · deal · pit · date

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. pitch — completely
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. squash — the sport
  10. date — the fruit
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pit — in a race
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bulb — for light
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — to point toward
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pit — a hole
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. squash — to crush
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bulb — for light
  24. date — on the calendar

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