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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.

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 · roll · pitcher · current · scale · staff · bear · fine

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pitch — completely
  4. roll — a cake
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. fine — all right
  9. staff — employees
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. current — of water
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. roll — a list
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. scale — for weighing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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