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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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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. rest — what's left
  6. press — to push
  7. ground — crushed
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — a publisher
  10. scale — size or range
  11. ground — the earth
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. ground — a position
  14. rest — a break
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. branch — a division
  21. pitch — completely
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rest — what's left

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