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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: lash · charge · pitch · pit · pop · rest · bass · dip

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bass — low music
  3. pop — music
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pop — to visit
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pop — soda
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bass — the fish
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — in control
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. dip — to sink
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — in a race

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