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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: suit · fan · season · racket · cap · pitch · lash · pit

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pit — in a race
  3. season — in sport
  4. pit — a hole
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. cap — a lid
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. cap — a hat
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. suit — clothes
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. suit — to fit
  17. cap — of ice
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pitch — completely
  20. season — of the year
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. suit — in cards

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