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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: pit · plane · lash · stand · kid · firm · squash · bore

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. firm — steady
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. kid — child
  8. kid — to tease
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bore — to tire
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. firm — decided
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. squash — the sport
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. firm — a company
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bore — to drill
  24. pit — a hole

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