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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: hand · snap · suit · pit · arm · swing · squash · shower

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. hand — in cards
  4. shower — rain
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. squash — to crush
  10. suit — clothes
  11. swing — to play on
  12. squash — the sport
  13. snap — to click
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. suit — in cards
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. swing — music
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. hand — help
  21. suit — to fit
  22. shower — to wash
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. swing — in golf

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