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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: firm · bank · pitch · lash · bat · rash · dip · coach

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bank — for money
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. firm — decided
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bank — for money
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. rash — a series
  18. firm — steady
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bat — the animal
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. firm — a company

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