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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 116 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: fall · cue · rash · pass · suit · pit · march · land

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  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. march — music
  2. rash — hasty
  3. pit — in a race
  4. land — a country
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. march — the month
  10. land — to come down
  11. march — the month
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. suit — clothes
  14. fall — the season
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cue — for pool
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rash — a series
  20. cue — a signal
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. land — ground
  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