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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: cue · vault · pitch · scale · drill · foot · ground · saw

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. ground — a position
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. saw — the tool
  8. scale — size or range
  9. pitch — completely
  10. drill — a practice
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. ground — crushed
  13. drill — army training
  14. vault — a safe
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. cue — a hint
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. ground — the earth
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pitch — a sports field

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