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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 120 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: suit · bass · mouse · ruler · pit · content · lash · last

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. suit — clothes
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. last — finally
  15. bass — the fish
  16. suit — to fit
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. content — happy
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. last — to go on
  21. content — the amount
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bass — low music
  24. lash — to lash out

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