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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.

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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: perch · stand · rule · cabinet · kick · bank · pitch · straw

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rule — government
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bank — for money
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bank — of a river
  13. rule — a law
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bank — for money
  24. kick — with a leg

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