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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 120 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: current · scale · pitch · pit · mate · fall · ball · ruler

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. current — happening now
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fall — to drop
  7. current — electric
  8. fall — to drop
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mate — a partner
  12. pit — a hole
  13. current — of water
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fall — the season
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pitch — completely
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mate — a friend
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — in music
  24. ruler — a monarch

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