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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
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: trunk · bay · rock · bear · firm · pop · ball · pitch

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — music
  13. rock — music
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. firm — a company
  19. bear — the animal
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pop — to visit

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