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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: pop · bear · game · mug · bass · stick · pitch · capital

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pop — music
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a face
  9. bass — low music
  10. capital — a city
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bear — the animal
  17. capital — money
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. game — a match
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. pop — to visit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pop — soda
  24. mug — a cup

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