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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 116 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
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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: chip · lash · rush · pit · last · hide · saw · rock

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. last — to go on
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. rock — music
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. last — final
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rush — hurry
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. last — finally
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pit — a hole
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chip — to eat

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