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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: staff · object · scale · sharp · calf · fall · bass · pitch

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pitch — completely
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. staff — employees
  5. fall — to drop
  6. sharp — clever
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. staff — a stick
  9. scale — in music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. object — a thing
  12. bass — the fish
  13. fall — the season
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. scale — size or range
  16. staff — employees
  17. object — an aim
  18. bass — low music
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. fall — to drop
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. object — to protest
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bass — the instrument

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