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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 116 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: mine · pound · pitch · board · snap · scale · bay · pass

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. snap — to click
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — size or range
  10. board — to get on
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. scale — in music
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mine — for digging
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pass — a permit

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