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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rest · rash · can · pitch · rock · club · date · mark

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mark — a grade
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. rash — hasty
  6. club — for golf
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pitch — completely
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rash — a series
  18. date — the fruit
  19. club — a group
  20. rock — music
  21. can — a tin
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. rest — what's left
  24. club — for dancing

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