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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
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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: roll · mine · saw · wound · bay · foot · bass · pitch

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. roll — a list
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mine — for digging
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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