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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 120 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: key · scale · pitch · board · spell · bowl · bound · degree

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bound — tied together
  5. degree — temperature
  6. bound — obliged
  7. spell — magic
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bound — certain
  11. degree — an amount
  12. spell — letters
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. scale — size or range
  15. key — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. key — for a lock
  20. board — to get on
  21. pitch — completely
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bowl — a football final

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