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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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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: racket · wake · scale · bay · pitch · foot · mark · present

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. present — a gift
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. present — there
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. present — the time now
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. pitch — completely
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. scale — size or range
  24. foot — a measure

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