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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: pass · pit · bank · wound · sharp · spell · lash · ground

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bank — for money
  7. spell — magic
  8. ground — crushed
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pass — a permit
  11. spell — letters
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pit — a hole
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pit — in a race
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. sharp — clever
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bank — for money
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. ground — a position

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