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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.

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: press · calf · coach · perch · lie · pitch · wound · fine

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. fine — all right
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. press — a publisher
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. press — to push
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. perch — the fish
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. wound — an injury
  13. fine — high quality
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pitch — completely
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wound — an injury
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. calf — a young animal

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