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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.

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: pitch · file · tube · hide · bulb · scale · bank · object

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. scale — size or range
  3. object — to protest
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bank — for money
  6. bulb — for light
  7. scale — in music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. file — a line of people
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. object — an aim
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. file — a document
  20. tube — a container
  21. object — a thing
  22. file — a tool
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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