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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: pit · lean · rash · bass · court · bulb · fork · pitch

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. fork — in a road
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. court — of law
  6. lean — thin
  7. court — of a king
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. lean — to bend
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. court — for sport
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bass — low music
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bass — the fish
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rash — hasty
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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