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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.

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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: fall · bass · pitch · mark · mouse · saw · pitcher · lash

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fall — to drop
  9. saw — the tool
  10. fall — the season
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — low music
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pitch — completely
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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