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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: rock · pitch · safe · bear · lean · net · bass · mug

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lean — thin
  4. mug — a cup
  5. rock — music
  6. net — after costs
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mug — to rob
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bass — low music
  13. mug — a face
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lean — to bend
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — for catching
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. rock — to move gently

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