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

Word bank: mouse · cell · last · pit · board · suit · lash · bowl

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. board — a committee
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cell — in biology
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. last — final
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — finally
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. pit — a hole
  14. board — to get on
  15. suit — to fit
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. suit — clothes
  18. cell — a phone
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. pit — in a race

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