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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 · prune · club · dip · rock · squash · suit · file

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. file — a tool
  3. club — a group
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pitch — completely
  9. prune — to trim
  10. suit — in cards
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. rock — music
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. squash — the sport
  15. dip — to sink
  16. club — for dancing
  17. file — a line of people
  18. suit — clothes
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. file — a document
  21. prune — to trim
  22. club — for golf
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. dip — to dunk

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