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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bass — low music
  16. suit — clothes
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. game — wild animals
  21. suit — in cards
  22. sharp — clever
  23. game — a match
  24. bat — the animal

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