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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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468
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: pound · pitch · temple · chip · court · roll · bass · bulb

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. roll — a list
  7. court — of law
  8. chip — to eat
  9. roll — a cake
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. court — of a king
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. court — for sport
  21. bass — low music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — for betting

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