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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
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: pitch · spring · pound · lean · lash · ball · present · bass

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. spring — of water
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. spring — a coil
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. ball — a dance
  10. present — the time now
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. ball — a great time
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. present — a gift
  19. lean — to bend
  20. present — there
  21. lean — thin
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pound — for dogs

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