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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: can · pitch · board · bear · bass · cap · fork · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bass — the fish
  6. can — to be able to
  7. board — to get on
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. board — a committee
  10. can — a tin
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. can — a tin
  17. bass — low music
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. cap — of ice

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