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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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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: arm · board · ruler · pass · sharp · bass · pound · pitch

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. board — to get on
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pass — a permit
  10. sharp — clever
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bass — low music
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pound — a weight
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pitch — completely

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