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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: mouse · swing · lash · root · lean · mark · last · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. root — of a plant
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. lean — thin
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. last — to go on
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. root — of a word
  17. last — final
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. swing — to play on
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. last — finally
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. root — the cause

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