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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: scale · band · pitch · rock · nail · pit · ground · face

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. face — to confront
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. face — part of the head
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pit — a hole
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rock — music
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. face — to point toward
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a ring
  20. ground — the earth
  21. pit — in a race
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — crushed
  24. 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