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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: march · drill · leaves · scale · chip · pop · pitch · craft

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — for betting
  4. drill — the tool
  5. craft — boats
  6. pop — soda
  7. scale — in music
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. drill — army training
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. craft — a skill
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. pop — music
  15. march — the month
  16. scale — size or range
  17. march — music
  18. march — the month
  19. pitch — completely
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pop — to visit
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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