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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pitch · stand · hide · clip · spell · scale · wave · wound

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. clip — for paper
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. spell — magic
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — a video
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. spell — letters
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. spell — a short time
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. stand — to bear
  20. pitch — completely
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wound — an injury

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