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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.

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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: net · fine · spell · game · bowl · pitch · perch · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. game — a match
  5. net — in sport
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. net — after costs
  8. spell — a short time
  9. press — a publisher
  10. spell — letters
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. game — wild animals
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. spell — magic
  17. net — for catching
  18. fine — all right
  19. press — to push
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. fine — high quality
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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