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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. stock — shares
  4. bass — the fish
  5. mug — a face
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to confront
  11. drill — a practice
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. drill — army training
  15. face — to point toward
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. stock — goods
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. mug — a cup
  21. drill — the tool
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bass — low music
  24. mug — to rob

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