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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. firm — a company
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. scale — in music
  6. bound — tied together
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. scale — size or range
  11. stem — to come from
  12. game — a match
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bound — certain
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bass — low music
  18. firm — steady
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. game — wild animals
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. firm — decided
  24. pitch — a sports field

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