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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.

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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: deal · fine · wake · scale · pit · straw · pitch · rush

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. fine — all right
  3. scale — size or range
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rush — hurry
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. pit — in a race
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. deal — to handle
  15. pitch — completely
  16. scale — in music
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pit — a hole
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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