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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. fork — in a road
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. land — a country
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. land — to come down
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. sharp — clever
  13. land — ground
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — a group
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bass — the fish
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. pass — a permit
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bass — low music
  24. fork — a garden tool

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