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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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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: fall · fork · deal · scale · charge · wind · pitch · foot

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. wind — moving air
  4. charge — a price
  5. fall — the season
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. scale — size or range
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wind — moving air
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. fall — to drop
  16. scale — in music
  17. charge — in control
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. foot — a measure
  20. charge — electricity
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. fork — to eat with

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