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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
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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: mug · pitch · scale · chip · spell · pass · field · straw

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. field — a subject
  3. spell — letters
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. mug — to rob
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. chip — for betting
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. mug — a cup
  16. scale — in music
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. field — farmland
  19. spell — magic
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. field — for sport
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. spell — a short time
  24. mug — a face

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