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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: ball · lie · staff · pitch · rock · charge · racket · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. charge — a price
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. rock — music
  5. bass — low music
  6. staff — employees
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. staff — a stick
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pitch — completely
  15. lie — to recline
  16. staff — employees
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. ball — a dance

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