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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: dip · pit · fan · squash · lie · race · wax · pass

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. pass — a permit
  4. race — the arms race
  5. lie — to recline
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. squash — the sport
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. race — a contest
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. squash — to crush
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. race — humankind
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pit — a hole
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pass — to spend time

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