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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 120 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: pop · wound · squash · pitch · bass · suit · sharp · wax

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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. sharp — with an edge
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bass — low music
  4. squash — to crush
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — music
  11. wound — an injury
  12. pop — soda
  13. wax — to grow
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bass — the fish
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wound — an injury
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. pitch — completely
  20. suit — in cards
  21. sharp — clever
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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