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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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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 · shower · leaves · band · bear · cabinet · firm · bass

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bear — the animal
  9. firm — decided
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. band — a music group
  17. shower — rain
  18. pitch — completely
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. band — a ring
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. firm — steady
  23. bass — low music
  24. firm — a company

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