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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 · coach · deal · bass · lash · pitch · toast · nail

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. toast — bread
  3. bass — the fish
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. dip — to sink
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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