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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.

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: pitch · bat · perch · chair · key · bass · cue · rush

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — for a lock
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bat — the animal
  7. perch — the fish
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. key — in music
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — completely
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bass — the fish
  19. cue — a signal
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bass — low music

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