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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 120 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: pitch · perch · pass · craft · suit · swing · straw · press

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. swing — to play on
  5. press — newspapers
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. swing — in golf
  8. craft — boats
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. pitch — completely
  14. swing — music
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. pass — a permit
  17. press — a publisher
  18. suit — clothes
  19. craft — a skill
  20. perch — the fish
  21. press — to push
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. suit — in cards

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