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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.

Make a worksheet

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: coach · bass · lash · bay · shower · squash · pitcher · pit

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bass — the fish
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. shower — rain
  10. pit — a hole
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. squash — to crush
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. shower — to wash
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bass — low music
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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