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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pitcher · lie · wave · object · pitch · land · scale · mine

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. lie — to recline
  3. object — an aim
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. pitch — completely
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. land — to come down
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. object — a thing
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. land — a country
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. land — ground
  22. mine — for digging
  23. object — to protest
  24. pitch — a sports field

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