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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · land · sharp · rest · bass · court · bore · ruler

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. court — of law
  5. bass — the fish
  6. court — of a king
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bass — low music
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. land — a country
  11. pitch — completely
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. land — ground
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rest — what's left
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. court — for sport
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rest — a break
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. land — to come down

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