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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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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 · pass · bear · wake · squash · snap · bowl · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  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. pitch — a sales talk
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. snap — to click
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. squash — the sport
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. squash — the vegetable
  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