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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: drill · pass · pit · foot · wave · stick · mouse · lash

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  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 hole
  2. drill — a practice
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. drill — army training
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. drill — the tool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. foot — a measure
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. foot — the bottom
  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