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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
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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: pitcher · ground · coach · mouse · pit · bass · lie · mine

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pit — in a race
  7. ground — the earth
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bass — low music
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. ground — a position
  21. mine — for digging
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bass — the fish
  24. ground — crushed

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