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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: calf · game · pound · scale · net · pitch · perch · rash

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. pound — a weight
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. rash — a series
  5. net — in sport
  6. pitch — completely
  7. rash — hasty
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. net — after costs
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. scale — in music
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. perch — the fish
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a match
  24. scale — size or range

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