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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 120 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: last · arm · pit · pop · mark · bore · bay · pass

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. last — finally
  5. last — to go on
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pop — to visit
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. last — final
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — soda
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — to tire

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