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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 120 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: mug · pitch · present · mate · bass · ball · rest · bound

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mate — a friend
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. mug — a cup
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bound — obliged
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bound — tied together
  10. present — there
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bass — the fish
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bass — low music
  15. present — a gift
  16. rest — a break
  17. mug — a face
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bound — certain
  21. mate — to breed
  22. present — the time now
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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