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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · leaves · perch · land · stand · bulb · board · wax

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. board — to get on
  3. land — ground
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. board — a committee
  8. land — a country
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. perch — the fish
  13. wax — to grow
  14. land — to come down
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bulb — for light
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pitch — completely
  24. wax — for sculpting

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