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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mate · board · plane · scale · cabinet · calf · pitch · track

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. track — a song
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. board — to get on
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. board — a committee
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. track — a path
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — to breed
  15. plane — a tool
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. track — to keep track
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. scale — in music
  23. pitch — completely
  24. cabinet — ministers

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