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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: temple · scale · cap · pitch · stock · sharp · saw · rock

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. sharp — clever
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — in music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cap — of ice
  7. rock — music
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — shares
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rock — a stone
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pitch — completely
  21. stock — goods
  22. cap — a lid
  23. saw — the tool
  24. sharp — with an edge

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