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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · pop · arm · staff · wake · wave · rush · mate

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. rush — hurry
  3. staff — a stick
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mate — a partner
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pit — a hole
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. pop — soda
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mate — to breed
  18. pop — to visit
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pop — music
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. mate — a friend
  24. wake — a trail

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