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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: pitcher · snap · rush · lie · patient · suit · pop · season

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. rush — hurry
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. suit — in cards
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. season — in sport
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. snap — to click
  15. lie — to recline
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. season — of the year
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — soda
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pop — to visit

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