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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. snap — to click
  5. pit — in a race
  6. ball — a dance
  7. band — a music group
  8. ball — a great time
  9. band — a ring
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mine — for digging
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to succeed

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