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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: scale · tube · pitch · pit · spring · bore · plane · patient

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pit — a hole
  4. scale — size or range
  5. tube — a container
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. spring — of water
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bore — to tire
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. scale — in music
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pitch — completely
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. spring — a coil
  21. spring — the season
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bore — to drill
  24. tube — the underground

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