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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. mug — a face
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. snap — to click
  9. track — to keep track
  10. net — for catching
  11. mug — to rob
  12. track — a song
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fine — all right
  16. pitch — completely
  17. track — a path
  18. net — in sport
  19. mug — a cup
  20. fine — high quality
  21. net — after costs
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bass — the fish

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