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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 116 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: scale · pitch · snap · craft · hide · ruler · mouse · charge

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. charge — in control
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pitch — completely
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. scale — size or range
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. charge — a price
  13. craft — boats
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. charge — electricity
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. scale — in music
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. hide — to keep secret

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