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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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. shower — a meteor shower
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fine — high quality
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bass — the fish
  16. land — ground
  17. land — a country
  18. fine — all right
  19. shower — rain
  20. bass — low music
  21. land — to come down
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. rest — a break
  24. board — a committee

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