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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: date · drill · mine · pitch · suit · mug

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. pitch — completely
  3. suit — clothes
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mug — a face
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. drill — army training
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. drill — a practice
  13. mug — a cup
  14. drill — the tool
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mine — for digging
  18. suit — to fit

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