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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: fork · pitch · net · key · perch · stand · can · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. stand — to bear
  3. net — for catching
  4. club — a group
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. key — the most important part
  8. club — for dancing
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. perch — the fish
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — after costs
  13. fork — in a road
  14. can — to be able to
  15. key — in music
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. can — a tin
  19. key — for a lock
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pitch — completely
  24. can — a tin

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