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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.

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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: roll · rush · bass · lie · ball · fall · pitch · hide

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. fall — to drop
  3. ball — a dance
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. roll — a cake
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the fish
  19. rush — hurry
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. fall — the season
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. lie — to recline

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