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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 · stand · object · face · date · racket · dip · pitcher

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. face — to confront
  3. dip — to sink
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. object — an aim
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. stand — to bear
  10. object — to protest
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. date — the fruit
  15. face — to point toward
  16. object — a thing
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. face — part of the head
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. suit — clothes
  24. date — on the calendar

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