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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: pitch · object · nail · present · march · court · scale · staff

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. scale — size or range
  3. march — the month
  4. court — of law
  5. pitch — completely
  6. object — an aim
  7. staff — employees
  8. court — of a king
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. object — to protest
  12. staff — employees
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. court — for sport
  16. march — music
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. scale — in music
  19. march — the month
  20. staff — a stick
  21. present — a gift
  22. object — a thing
  23. present — there
  24. nail — on a finger

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