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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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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: stick · perch · bowl · stand · pitch · pound

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. perch — the fish
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pound — for dogs

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