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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 · ruler · plane · scale · stock · file · jam · present

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. present — there
  4. scale — size or range
  5. present — a gift
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. scale — in music
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. stock — shares
  11. file — a document
  12. file — a line of people
  13. present — the time now
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. pitch — completely
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. file — a tool
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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