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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: squash · last · ruler · pass · sharp · lie · mouse · pit

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. last — final
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lie — to recline
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. squash — to crush
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. pit — in a race
  19. sharp — clever
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — finally
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. pit — a hole
  24. squash — the sport

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