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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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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: pound · scale · pitch · staff · leaves · nail · tear · wake

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. tear — from crying
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wake — a trail
  10. pitch — completely
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. staff — employees
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. scale — in music
  15. pound — a weight
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. tear — from crying
  18. staff — employees
  19. tear — to rip
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. staff — a stick
  24. pitch — a sports field

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