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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: fan · swing · content · pitch · ball · face · tube · scale

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. scale — size or range
  3. pitch — completely
  4. face — part of the head
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. tube — a container
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. scale — in music
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. content — the amount
  16. swing — to play on
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. swing — music
  19. content — happy
  20. face — to point toward
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. face — to confront
  24. tube — the underground

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