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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. face — to point toward
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. roll — a cake
  12. rock — a stone
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bank — of a river
  17. roll — a list
  18. face — to confront
  19. bank — for money
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rock — music
  23. bank — for money
  24. racket — for tennis

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