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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: pitch · suit · mate · rash · nail · lash · calf · chest

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. suit — to fit
  5. chest — of your body
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mate — a partner
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. chest — a box
  15. chest — of your body
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mate — a friend
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rash — a series
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rash — hasty
  24. mate — to breed

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