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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: drill · pass · coach · pitcher · bass · bay · perch · kid

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. drill — army training
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. drill — the tool
  14. perch — the fish
  15. kid — to tease
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — low music
  19. kid — child
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bay — a horse colour

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