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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: suit · kid · lash · pitch · pass · mine · pit · stand

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. suit — clothes
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pass — a permit
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. suit — in cards
  19. mine — for digging
  20. pitch — completely
  21. kid — child
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pit — a hole
  24. kid — to tease

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