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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pop — soda
  7. face — part of the head
  8. root — the cause
  9. board — a committee
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bass — the fish
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. root — of a word
  14. pop — music
  15. face — to confront
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. board — to get on
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. face — to point toward
  20. pop — to visit
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. root — of a plant
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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