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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.

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 · staff · object · bark · bass · firm · kick · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bass — low music
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. firm — a company
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. net — after costs
  8. object — to protest
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. object — a thing
  11. staff — employees
  12. kick — in football
  13. bass — the fish
  14. staff — employees
  15. firm — decided
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pitch — completely
  19. staff — a stick
  20. firm — steady
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. object — an aim
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. net — in sport

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