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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: pass · pit · fork · bound · march · dip · mark · lash

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — in a race
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pass — a permit
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. mark — a grade
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. march — the month
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. march — music
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bound — certain
  22. mark — a trace
  23. march — the month
  24. mark — to pay attention

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