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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.

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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 · scale · track · chip · staff · lash · wake · fan

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. scale — size or range
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pitch — completely
  6. scale — in music
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. track — to keep track
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. staff — employees
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. chip — for betting
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. wake — a trail
  22. chip — to eat
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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