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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. stock — shares
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bass — low music
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bore — to drill
  17. stock — goods
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chair — a leader

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