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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.

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: scale · pitch · wave · pitcher · content · fall · nail · swing

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. swing — in golf
  8. scale — size or range
  9. pitch — completely
  10. fall — to drop
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. swing — to play on
  13. scale — in music
  14. content — the amount
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. content — happy
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. swing — music
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. fall — the season

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