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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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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: snap · pitch · coach · ruler · pound · degree · vault · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. snap — to click
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pitch — completely
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. scale — size or range
  15. degree — an amount
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. degree — from a university
  18. degree — temperature
  19. vault — a safe
  20. pound — a weight
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. ruler — for measuring

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