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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — completely
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — in sport
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. dip — to sink
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. scale — size or range
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bass — low music
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. scale — in music
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bass — the fish
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. plane — an aircraft

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