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

Word bank: mine · pitch · bat · swing · perch · ruler · stand · cabinet

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. perch — the fish
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pitch — completely
  13. mine — for digging
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. swing — music
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. stand — to bear
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. swing — in golf

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