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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.

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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: pitch · kick · suit · fan · deal · scale · land · nail

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pitch — completely
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. suit — to fit
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. land — a country
  10. scale — in music
  11. suit — in cards
  12. kick — in football
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. deal — to handle
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. land — to come down
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. land — ground
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. kick — with a leg

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