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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 120 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. club — for golf
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bass — low music
  14. tear — from crying
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. tear — to rip
  19. club — a group
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ball — a great time
  22. lie — to recline
  23. ball — a dance
  24. club — for dancing

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