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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: pitch · rock · craft · bass · spell · mug · fine · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. fine — high quality
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bass — the fish
  5. rock — a stone
  6. craft — boats
  7. bass — low music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. spell — letters
  10. mug — to rob
  11. spell — magic
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. spell — a short time
  16. craft — a skill
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. rock — music
  19. mug — a face
  20. fine — all right
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — completely

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