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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bound — certain
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bound — obliged
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stand — to bear
  24. perch — the fish

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