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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: rash · pitcher · drill · arm · pass · sharp · firm · bat

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. drill — army training
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. rash — a series
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bat — the animal
  10. rash — hasty
  11. drill — the tool
  12. pass — a permit
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. firm — steady
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. drill — a practice
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. firm — a company

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