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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: bass · board · pitch · bowl · mark · pass · squash · prune

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bass — the fish
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. squash — the sport
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bass — low music
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. board — a committee
  23. mark — a trace
  24. board — to get on

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