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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.

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: lash · pass · staff · game · wake · land · pound · dip

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. land — to come down
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. game — a match
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. dip — to sink
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wake — a trail
  13. land — ground
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. game — wild animals
  18. pound — a weight
  19. land — a country
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pass — a permit
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pound — for dogs

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