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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: rush · swing · pit · bank · date · cabinet · face · squash

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bank — of a river
  3. face — part of the head
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. face — to confront
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. swing — music
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bank — for money
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. squash — the sport
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. face — to point toward
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bank — for money
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — in golf

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