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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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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: fine · scale · pound · wind · bay · pitch · cabinet · last

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. scale — size or range
  6. last — finally
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. fine — all right
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. wind — moving air
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. pound — a weight
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fine — high quality
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. last — final
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. last — to go on
  21. scale — in music
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. scale — for weighing

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