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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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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: lean · bowl · key · pitch · bore · perch · suit · cap

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lean — thin
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. suit — clothes
  18. key — in music
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — to fit
  21. key — for a lock
  22. pitch — completely
  23. key — the most important part
  24. lean — to bend

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