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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: cold · game · scale · mine · bay · object · pitch · firm

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. cold — not warm
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. game — wild animals
  11. pitch — completely
  12. game — a match
  13. mine — for digging
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. scale — in music
  19. cold — an illness
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. object — to protest
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. firm — decided

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