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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.

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: firm · pitch · racket · shower · rash · straw · can · perch

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. can — a tin
  3. rash — hasty
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. firm — decided
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. shower — rain
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. firm — a company
  14. shower — to wash
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. can — to be able to
  17. perch — the fish
  18. can — a tin
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pitch — completely
  22. firm — steady
  23. rash — a series
  24. pitch — a sports field

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