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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 116 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: kid · content · bass · squash · pitch · lash · safe · fine

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. pitch — completely
  5. squash — the sport
  6. kid — to tease
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. fine — all right
  10. bass — low music
  11. content — the amount
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. kid — child
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. content — happy
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. fine — high quality
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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