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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pop — to visit
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. present — the time now
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. band — a music group
  11. suit — clothes
  12. band — a ring
  13. fall — to drop
  14. present — there
  15. suit — in cards
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — a measure
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pop — music
  20. present — a gift
  21. pop — soda
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. scale — in music

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