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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. capital — money
  4. suit — clothes
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bark — to shout
  11. vault — a safe
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bass — low music
  14. club — for dancing
  15. squash — to crush
  16. club — a group
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. capital — a city
  19. club — for golf
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. suit — in cards

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