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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.

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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: suit · pound · pitch · bear · scale · object · land · rush

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. land — ground
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. object — a thing
  9. scale — in music
  10. rush — hurry
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. object — an aim
  15. pound — a weight
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. land — a country
  18. suit — to fit
  19. object — to protest
  20. bear — the animal
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. land — to come down
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. scale — size or range

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