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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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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: pit · lash · wake · wave · rash · land · deal · can

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. land — to come down
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. land — a country
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. rash — hasty
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. land — ground
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. can — to be able to
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rash — a series
  23. pit — in a race
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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