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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · pitch · chip · rock · band · net · scale · mark

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a ring
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — size or range
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. rule — government
  9. net — after costs
  10. band — a music group
  11. rock — music
  12. rule — a law
  13. net — for catching
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pitch — completely
  20. net — in sport
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mark — a trace
  24. scale — for weighing

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