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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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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: stick · tube · mug · fork · wave · present · scale · pitch

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. fork — in a road
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. present — there
  6. scale — size or range
  7. tube — a container
  8. mug — a cup
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pitch — completely
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. scale — in music
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mug — a face
  22. present — a gift
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. mug — to rob

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