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

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pound — a weight
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. perch — the fish
  20. wind — moving air
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. wind — moving air

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