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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: swing · stand · scale · pitch · pop · rule

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rule — government
  6. pop — music
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pop — to visit
  9. swing — to play on
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. swing — music
  12. rule — a law
  13. scale — size or range
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pop — soda
  17. pitch — completely
  18. 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