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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: pitch · firm · swing · scale · temple · fine · drill · key

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. drill — a practice
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. drill — the tool
  11. pitch — completely
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. key — the most important part
  14. fine — all right
  15. key — for a lock
  16. drill — army training
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. swing — to play on
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. swing — music
  24. key — in music

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