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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 · mug · trunk · season · bass · lean · squash · mate

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. lean — thin
  6. mate — to breed
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. mate — a partner
  9. season — of the year
  10. squash — to crush
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. mug — a cup
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. pitch — completely
  15. squash — the sport
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mate — a friend
  19. lean — to bend
  20. season — in sport
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bass — the instrument

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