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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: lash · pitcher · pass · staff · mark · last · chip · fork

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. staff — employees
  11. mark — a trace
  12. last — finally
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. last — to go on
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. chip — for betting
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. mark — a grade
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. last — final

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