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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.

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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: board · pound · object · pitch · bass · rock · rule · bay

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. board — to get on
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bass — low music
  5. object — to protest
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. object — a thing
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bass — the fish
  12. board — a committee
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rule — a law
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. pitch — completely
  18. rock — music
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. object — an aim
  23. rule — government
  24. board — a flat piece

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