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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · foot · pitcher · swing · racket · spring · degree · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. scale — size or range
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. degree — temperature
  8. swing — in golf
  9. spring — the season
  10. foot — a measure
  11. swing — music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — an amount
  18. rule — a law
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. spring — a coil
  22. spring — of water
  23. swing — to play on
  24. racket — a loud noise

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