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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: rock · pitch · swing · scale · rest · object · safe · prune

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rock — a stone
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — an aim
  6. rest — what's left
  7. swing — in golf
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rest — what's left
  10. object — a thing
  11. rock — music
  12. swing — to play on
  13. scale — in music
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. rest — a break
  17. scale — size or range
  18. swing — music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pitch — completely
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. prune — to trim
  24. safe — out of danger

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