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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: pit · pass · season · rest · wake · file · ball · ruler

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. file — a tool
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pit — in a race
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pit — a hole
  10. ball — a great time
  11. wake — a trail
  12. ball — a dance
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. file — a line of people
  15. season — in sport
  16. file — a document
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. rest — a break
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. season — of the year

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