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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: track · can · suit · pitch · file · content · squash · scale

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. track — to keep track
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. pitch — completely
  6. suit — clothes
  7. file — a document
  8. file — a line of people
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. squash — the sport
  12. suit — to fit
  13. track — a song
  14. scale — size or range
  15. content — happy
  16. squash — to crush
  17. can — a tin
  18. suit — in cards
  19. scale — in music
  20. file — a tool
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. can — a tin
  23. content — the amount
  24. track — a path

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