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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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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: coach · pitch · suit · bear · fall · craft · stick · bass

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bear — the animal
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. fall — the season
  7. craft — boats
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bass — the fish
  12. craft — a skill
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bass — low music
  18. suit — to fit
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pitch — a sports field

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