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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: bass · rush · ground · root · arm · pound · press · pitch

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bass — low music
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bass — the fish
  5. ground — a position
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. ground — the earth
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. press — to push
  13. rush — hurry
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. press — a publisher
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pound — a weight

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