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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: straw · rock · pitch · craft · scale · track · field · bear

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. rock — music
  4. track — to keep track
  5. field — for sport
  6. field — farmland
  7. pitch — completely
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. track — a song
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. field — a subject
  12. bear — the animal
  13. craft — a skill
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. track — a path
  18. rock — a stone
  19. craft — boats
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bear — the animal

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