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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.

Make a worksheet

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: suit · arm · mouse · land · pass · track · lash · fine

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. suit — to fit
  4. track — a path
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. suit — in cards
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pass — a permit
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. fine — all right
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. fine — high quality
  19. land — a country
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. track — a song
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. track — to keep track

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