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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: lash · pitch · wave · lean · field · perch · racket · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lean — to bend
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pitch — completely
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. field — farmland
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. lean — thin
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. field — for sport
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. field — a subject
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. perch — the fish

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