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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 116 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 · spell · bore · suit · lean · mug · pitch · squash

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — a cup
  5. suit — in cards
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — to crush
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. spell — letters
  11. lean — to bend
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — low music
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bore — to tire
  21. squash — the sport
  22. spell — magic
  23. lean — thin
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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