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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 120 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 · board · arm · root · pit · racket · scale · spell

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. root — of a plant
  7. spell — magic
  8. root — of a word
  9. pit — in a race
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. board — to get on
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. scale — size or range
  14. board — a committee
  15. spell — letters
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. root — the cause
  21. scale — in music
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. spell — a short time

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