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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: tube · pitch · calf · bass · rock · bulb · hide · cabinet

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rock — music
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. tube — the underground
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rock — a stone
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bulb — for light
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. tube — a container
  23. pitch — completely
  24. bass — the instrument

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