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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.

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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: pitch · rush · bass · board · cap · cue · fine · game

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. cue — for pool
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cue — a hint
  9. board — a committee
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. fine — all right
  13. cap — of ice
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cap — a lid
  16. game — a match
  17. game — wild animals
  18. board — to get on
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bass — the fish
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bass — low music
  23. fine — high quality
  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