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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 124 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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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: pitch · file · bore · scale · pass · perch · saw · fall

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. fall — to drop
  3. perch — the fish
  4. scale — size or range
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. file — a line of people
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. pass — a permit
  18. file — a tool
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pitch — completely
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bore — to drill
  24. file — a document

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