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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.

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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: deal · bass · cabinet · ruler · hide · last · pitch · mark

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pitch — completely
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. last — finally
  8. last — to go on
  9. bass — low music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bass — the fish
  16. last — final
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — to handle

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