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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitch · rule · ball · vault · squash · ground · branch · scale

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. rule — government
  5. scale — size or range
  6. squash — to crush
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. ball — a dance
  15. branch — a division
  16. squash — the sport
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. scale — in music
  19. rule — a law
  20. vault — a safe
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — the earth

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