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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: lash · dip · rash · clip · pass · pitch · bass · arm

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. rash — hasty
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. clip — for paper
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. clip — a video
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pass — a permit
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. clip — to cut
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bass — low music

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