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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: ball · suit · scale · press · pitcher · rock · wound · arm

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. press — to push
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. suit — clothes
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ball — a dance
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. suit — in cards
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. scale — in music
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. press — newspapers
  21. scale — size or range
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pitcher — a jug

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