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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: pitch · wind · board · net · scale · suit · drill · swing

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wind — moving air
  3. drill — the tool
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. suit — to fit
  6. scale — in music
  7. swing — in golf
  8. swing — to play on
  9. suit — in cards
  10. scale — size or range
  11. net — for catching
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. board — a committee
  14. drill — army training
  15. net — after costs
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — to get on
  19. wind — moving air
  20. swing — music
  21. drill — a practice
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. net — in sport
  24. suit — clothes

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