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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: press · stem · fine · pitch · perch · calf · stick · pop

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. press — newspapers
  4. pitch — completely
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stem — to come from
  7. press — a publisher
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pop — to visit
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pop — soda
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. perch — the fish
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. press — to push
  22. pop — music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stem — of a plant

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