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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: bass · rush · file · rash · row · pitch · can · pit

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. file — a line of people
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bass — the fish
  5. rash — a series
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. file — a document
  8. pit — in a race
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. pit — a hole
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitch — completely
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bass — low music
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. file — a tool
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. rash — hasty

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