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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pop — soda
  3. net — in sport
  4. face — part of the head
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pop — to visit
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. net — after costs
  9. face — to confront
  10. bass — the fish
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pop — music
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. net — for catching
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bass — low music
  24. prune — to trim

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