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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: wake · pass · arm · snap · rush · plane · pit · mouse

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. wake — a trail
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rush — hurry
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. plane — a tool
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — in a race
  21. snap — to click
  22. pass — a permit
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. pass — to succeed

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