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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.

Words on the sheet
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: swing · safe · jam · pitch · bass · lie · board · content

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the fish
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. pitch — completely
  7. swing — in golf
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. swing — music
  16. content — happy
  17. swing — to play on
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. content — the amount
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. board — to get on

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