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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: scale · leaves · present · jam · pitch · toast · tear · board

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. jam — a tight spot
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. present — the time now
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. tear — from crying
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. tear — from crying
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. scale — in music
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. present — there
  17. tear — to rip
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. present — a gift
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. toast — bread
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. scale — size or range

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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