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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 116 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
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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: lie · content · pitch · rock · band · club · current · mark

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. club — for golf
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. pitch — completely
  5. mark — a trace
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. current — of water
  8. club — for dancing
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. club — a group
  11. current — electric
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a music group
  15. mark — a grade
  16. current — happening now
  17. content — happy
  18. content — the amount
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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