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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.

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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: pop · scale · racket · pitch · lean · deal · ruler · lash

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. pop — soda
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pop — to visit
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pitch — completely
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lean — thin
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. pop — music
  21. deal — to handle
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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