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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 116 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: pitch · bear · net · race · perch · saw · mate · coach

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. race — the arms race
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mate — to breed
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitch — completely
  8. race — humankind
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. saw — the tool
  11. net — in sport
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. net — after costs
  14. bear — the animal
  15. race — a contest
  16. mate — a friend
  17. net — for catching
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. perch — the fish
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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