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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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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: pop · pitch · pass · calf · suit · tear · cue · scale

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pop — soda
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. pop — music
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. suit — in cards
  10. cue — for pool
  11. tear — from crying
  12. suit — clothes
  13. tear — from crying
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. scale — in music
  18. tear — to rip
  19. pop — to visit
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pass — a permit

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