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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: fine · foot · ball · bear · scale · pitch · leaves · staff

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. scale — in music
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. staff — employees
  15. ball — a great time
  16. staff — a stick
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. ball — a dance
  21. staff — employees
  22. foot — a measure
  23. fine — all right
  24. pitch — completely

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