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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: bank · pitch · foot · board · scale · ball · pop · fine

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — all right
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. board — to get on
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bank — for money
  9. pop — music
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pop — to visit
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — size or range
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bank — for money
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pop — soda
  18. ball — a dance
  19. fine — high quality
  20. board — a committee
  21. scale — in music
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. board — a flat piece

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