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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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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: hide · mouse · snap · fall · perch · pitch · trunk · bowl

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. fall — the season
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fall — to drop
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. snap — to click
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pitch — a sports field

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