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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
468
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: rule · pass · pitch · suit · scale · clip · lie · leaves

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. rule — a law
  2. scale — in music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pass — a permit
  5. clip — to cut
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. scale — size or range
  10. clip — a video
  11. clip — for paper
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rule — government
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pitch — completely
  23. suit — in cards
  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