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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.

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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: scale · rest · lean · wound · fine · club · craft · pitch

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. lean — thin
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. club — for dancing
  7. scale — size or range
  8. craft — a skill
  9. scale — in music
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fine — all right
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. club — a group
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. wound — an injury
  18. craft — boats
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rest — a break
  22. wound — an injury
  23. lean — to bend
  24. club — for golf

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