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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: scale · pitch · cabinet · craft · cap · root · chip · key

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. key — the most important part
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. root — of a word
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. chip — to eat
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — a lid
  14. root — of a plant
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. key — in music
  18. pitch — completely
  19. root — the cause
  20. craft — a skill
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cap — of ice
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — size or range

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