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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: rash · game · pit · squash · foot · deal · nail · suit

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. suit — in cards
  3. game — wild animals
  4. foot — a measure
  5. suit — clothes
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — a match
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pit — a hole
  10. deal — to handle
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rash — hasty
  14. squash — the sport
  15. pit — in a race
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. suit — to fit
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. nail — for a hammer

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