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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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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: coach · pit · rest · bank · pitch · firm · race · lash

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pitch — completely
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. firm — decided
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. rest — a break
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bank — for money
  13. firm — a company
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. race — a contest
  16. firm — steady
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bank — for money
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bank — of a river
  22. rest — what's left
  23. race — humankind
  24. pit — in a race

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