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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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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. 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. pitch — a sports field
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. bear — the animal
  9. dip — to sink
  10. content — the amount
  11. bass — low music
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bass — the fish
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bank — for money
  16. content — happy
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bank — of a river
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. 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