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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: racket · mug · board · pitch · perch · cell · bank · staff

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. staff — a stick
  5. cell — a phone
  6. pitch — completely
  7. cell — in biology
  8. board — a committee
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bank — for money
  12. mug — a cup
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. mug — a face
  20. board — to get on
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. perch — for a bird

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