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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: ball · pop · pitch · nail · bass · fork · mark · scale

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pop — soda
  4. scale — in music
  5. mark — a trace
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mark — a grade
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bass — low music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pop — to visit
  18. scale — size or range
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bass — the fish
  24. nail — on a finger

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