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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: bass · arm · pitch · hide · present · staff · file · cue

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. present — a gift
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. staff — employees
  8. present — there
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. cue — a hint
  13. file — a tool
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. file — a line of people
  18. present — the time now
  19. pitch — completely
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cue — a signal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bass — low music

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