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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
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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: drill · pitch · object · court · can · bass · stick · sharp

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. drill — a practice
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. can — a tin
  6. sharp — clever
  7. court — of law
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — low music
  12. drill — the tool
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — to protest
  20. court — for sport
  21. object — a thing
  22. drill — army training
  23. court — of a king
  24. can — a tin

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