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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · wind · object · staff · suit · pitch · perch · game

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. game — a match
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. perch — the fish
  5. wind — moving air
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. suit — clothes
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pitch — completely
  14. game — wild animals
  15. staff — employees
  16. object — an aim
  17. rash — a series
  18. object — to protest
  19. staff — employees
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. wind — moving air
  24. object — a thing

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