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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: bowl · rest · net · cue · pitch · perch · rash · staff

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. staff — a stick
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. staff — employees
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. staff — employees
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rest — a break
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — for catching
  15. cue — for pool
  16. net — after costs
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rest — what's left
  24. cue — a signal

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