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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.

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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: row · bay · dip · bat · rush · firm · pitcher · suit

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. firm — a company
  5. row — to paddle
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. row — a line
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. suit — clothes
  14. firm — decided
  15. dip — to sink
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. suit — to fit
  22. firm — steady
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bay — a horse colour

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