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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.

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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: saw · current · pitch · calf · mark · season · bass · fork

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. pitch — completely
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. saw — the tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a grade
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. season — of the year
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. current — electric
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bass — the fish
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. current — of water
  20. mark — a trace
  21. season — in sport
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. saw — the tool
  24. current — happening now

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