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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: squash · foot · pit · wind · spring · dip · suit · pass

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. pit — a hole
  3. spring — a coil
  4. foot — a measure
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. suit — in cards
  11. dip — to sink
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wind — moving air
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. spring — of water
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wind — moving air
  19. spring — the season
  20. pass — a permit
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. squash — the sport
  24. dip — to dunk

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