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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. board — to get on
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. board — a committee
  9. present — a gift
  10. clip — to cut
  11. degree — from a university
  12. clip — a video
  13. bass — the fish
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. present — the time now
  17. bass — low music
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. degree — an amount
  21. clip — for paper
  22. present — there
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. safe — out of danger

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