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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
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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: fine · club · rash · suit · scale · march · press · pitch

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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. scale — for weighing
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pitch — completely
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rash — hasty
  6. press — to push
  7. press — a publisher
  8. suit — clothes
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — for dancing
  11. march — the month
  12. rash — a series
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — in music
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. press — newspapers
  18. march — the month
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. march — music
  22. club — a group
  23. fine — high quality
  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