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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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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 · pound · safe · bass · perch · bowl · bay · spring

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. spring — of water
  11. pound — a weight
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bass — the fish
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. perch — the fish
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bass — low music
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. spring — the season
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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