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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bass — low music
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bass — the fish
  7. mug — a cup
  8. pound — a weight
  9. mug — a face
  10. suit — in cards
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — a division
  13. mug — to rob
  14. track — a path
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. track — a song
  18. fork — in a road
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. bass — the instrument

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