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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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468
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: pit · pass · ruler · land · squash · wake · foot · pitcher

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. land — a country
  4. wake — a trail
  5. land — to come down
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. foot — a measure
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pit — in a race
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. squash — to crush
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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