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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: firm · squash · shower · kick · coach · season · suit · dip

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. firm — steady
  7. dip — to sink
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. firm — decided
  12. squash — the sport
  13. firm — a company
  14. shower — to wash
  15. suit — clothes
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. season — of the year
  20. suit — in cards
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. kick — in football
  23. season — in sport
  24. kick — a thrill

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