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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · rash · nail · pitch · lie · object · file · bass

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bass — low music
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — a series
  9. file — a line of people
  10. spell — a short time
  11. file — a tool
  12. spell — letters
  13. object — a thing
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. spell — magic
  18. object — an aim
  19. pitch — completely
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lie — to recline
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. object — to protest
  24. bass — the fish

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