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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: scale · arm · temple · net · pit · pitch · wind · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wind — moving air
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. scale — in music
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pitch — completely
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. wind — moving air
  15. scale — size or range
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pit — a hole
  21. net — for catching
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. key — the most important part

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