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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.

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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: pitch · dip · bass · pass · chair · pound · fan · craft

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pound — a weight
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — to sink
  9. craft — boats
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — a permit
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. craft — a skill
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bass — low music
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bass — the fish
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a leader
  24. fan — a supporter

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