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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
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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: file · wave · scale · pitch · craft · board · ground · rule

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. scale — in music
  3. file — a line of people
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. rule — government
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. ground — a position
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. craft — boats
  14. rule — a law
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. ground — the earth
  17. scale — size or range
  18. craft — a skill
  19. file — a tool
  20. file — a document
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. pitch — completely
  23. ground — crushed
  24. board — to get on

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