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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: scale · pop · cue · bore · pitch · net · suit · sharp

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. sharp — clever
  3. cue — a hint
  4. net — for catching
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bore — to drill
  9. scale — size or range
  10. pop — to visit
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. pop — soda
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. cue — for pool
  15. net — after costs
  16. scale — in music
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. pop — music
  19. cue — a signal
  20. net — in sport
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bore — to tire
  23. pitch — completely
  24. suit — in cards

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