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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: firm · pitch · bay · prune · kid · tube · current · bass

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. current — electric
  4. kid — to tease
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — a container
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. firm — a company
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bass — the fish
  13. prune — to trim
  14. firm — decided
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. bass — low music
  18. firm — steady
  19. kid — child
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. prune — to trim

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