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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: bank · pit · suit · rush · wave · season · bat · jam

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. season — in sport
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. season — of the year
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bank — for money
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bat — the animal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bank — for money
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. season — to add flavour

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