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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 116 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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. ball — a dance
  13. perch — the fish
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. hand — help
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. stand — to bear
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. ball — a great time

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