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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 124 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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bass — low music
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — the fish
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. root — of a plant
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — moving air
  15. mug — a face
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mug — a cup
  21. ball — a great time
  22. date — the fruit
  23. mug — to rob
  24. ball — a dance

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