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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 · mouse · fork · mark · press · wave · last · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. mark — a grade
  4. last — to go on
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pass — a permit
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. mark — a trace
  13. fork — in a road
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. press — to push
  18. last — finally
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — a publisher
  21. last — final
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. mark — to pay attention

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