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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 116 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
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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: chair · pitch · scale · bulb · object · pass · fine · ground

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. ground — crushed
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. ground — a position
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bulb — for light
  8. object — a thing
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. object — an aim
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fine — all right
  14. ground — the earth
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. object — to protest
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. scale — in music
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. pitch — completely
  23. scale — size or range
  24. fine — high quality

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