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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: dip · bass · rash · object · mine · deal · pitch · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. dip — to sink
  4. deal — to handle
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rash — hasty
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. object — to protest
  11. bass — the fish
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bass — low music
  14. pitch — completely
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. object — a thing
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. object — an aim
  22. rash — a series
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. mine — for digging

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