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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: fork · stick · pitch · capital · fine · bass · ruler · board

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. capital — a city
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fine — high quality
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bass — low music
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bass — the fish
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. capital — money
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. board — to get on
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. board — a committee
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. fork — a garden 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