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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: charge · scale · pitch · stand · date · dip · ruler · pitcher

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitch — completely
  5. charge — a price
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. dip — to sink
  9. charge — in control
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. date — the fruit
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. charge — electricity
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stand — to bear
  20. scale — size or range
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. pitch — a sports field

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