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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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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: fall · scale · game · toast · snap · pitch · pound · swing

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. game — a match
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. fall — the season
  7. game — wild animals
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. toast — bread
  12. swing — music
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fall — to drop
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. scale — in music
  18. swing — in golf
  19. fall — to drop
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. snap — to click
  23. swing — to play on
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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