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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 116 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: bear · pitcher · board · clip · mark · pitch · scale · pit

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — in a race
  4. scale — in music
  5. bear — the animal
  6. board — a committee
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pitch — completely
  10. clip — to cut
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. scale — size or range
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. clip — for paper
  16. mark — a trace
  17. clip — a video
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. board — to get on
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bear — the animal

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