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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: lash · net · bat · rock · cue · pitch · fine · perch

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rock — music
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rock — a stone
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. cue — a signal
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. perch — the fish
  13. net — for catching
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. cue — a hint
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. net — after costs
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. fine — all right
  22. net — in sport
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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