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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · pit · nail · bass · snap · pitch

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bass — low music
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bass — the fish
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pop — soda
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. snap — to click
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — music
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. pitch — a sports field

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