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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. board — a committee
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rush — hurry
  6. firm — decided
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rest — a break
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. firm — a company
  15. pitch — completely
  16. board — to get on
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pound — a weight
  22. firm — steady
  23. rest — what's left
  24. board — a flat piece

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