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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bass — the fish
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. wind — moving air
  6. fork — in a road
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. current — happening now
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. current — of water
  11. roll — a list
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bass — low music
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. current — electric
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. roll — a cake
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. pitch — a sports field

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