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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: rock · fan · firm · cabinet · mark · pitch · bass · season

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bass — low music
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. rock — music
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. season — of the year
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. firm — decided
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. season — in sport
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitch — completely
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. mark — a grade

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