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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: bass · firm · game · pitcher · bay · file · suit · lash

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. file — a line of people
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. firm — a company
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. suit — to fit
  10. firm — decided
  11. bass — low music
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bass — the fish
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. suit — clothes
  17. file — a tool
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — a match
  21. firm — steady
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. file — a document
  24. game — wild animals

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