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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: fall · last · pit · squash · nail · cap · calf · lash

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pit — a hole
  4. last — final
  5. fall — to drop
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. last — to go on
  8. squash — the sport
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. squash — to crush
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — a hat
  23. last — finally
  24. lash — to lash out

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