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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bank — of a river
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bass — the fish
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pitch — completely

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