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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: deal · firm · pitcher · lash · bay · mine · bass · racket

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bass — low music
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. firm — decided
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. deal — to handle
  10. firm — steady
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — for digging
  14. firm — a company
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. deal — a big deal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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