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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: fork · roll · scale · nail · pop · arm · pitch · lean

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. pop — soda
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. scale — in music
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. lean — to bend
  11. roll — a cake
  12. scale — size or range
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pop — to visit
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. lean — thin
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. fork — in a road
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pop — music
  24. arm — part of the body

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