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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: leaves · pitch · calf · bat · stick · bass · rash · key

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bass — low music
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pitch — completely
  8. rash — hasty
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bat — the animal
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. key — in music
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rash — a series
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. leaves — to go away

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