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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. season — in sport
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bass — low music
  7. game — a match
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. scale — in music
  10. pitch — completely
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bass — the fish
  13. game — wild animals
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. season — of the year
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. row — a line
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. scale — size or range
  24. season — to add flavour

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