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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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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. track — a song
  7. rock — music
  8. pitch — completely
  9. track — a path
  10. track — to keep track
  11. capital — money
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. net — after costs
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — for catching
  17. capital — a city
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. swing — to play on
  21. scale — size or range
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. rock — a stone
  24. stand — on your feet

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