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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: net · rush · pit · straw · ball · fine · date · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. fine — all right
  3. net — in sport
  4. pit — in a race
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. date — the fruit
  7. net — for catching
  8. pit — a hole
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rash — hasty
  11. net — after costs
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a dance
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rush — a thrill

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