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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 120 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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. band — a ring
  4. present — there
  5. present — a gift
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. row — to paddle
  8. can — a tin
  9. bass — the fish
  10. can — a tin
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bass — low music
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. present — the time now
  17. pitch — completely
  18. row — a line
  19. swing — music
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. band — a music group
  22. swing — to play on
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bass — the instrument

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