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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: pop · bay · sharp · march · bowl · scale · pitch · squash

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — soda
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. squash — to crush
  7. march — the month
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. pop — to visit
  15. march — music
  16. pitch — completely
  17. sharp — clever
  18. squash — the sport
  19. march — the month
  20. scale — in music
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bowl — a dish

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