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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 120 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: pop · rush · mouse · pitch · wind · game · dip · suit

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. pop — soda
  6. suit — to fit
  7. game — wild animals
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pop — music
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rush — hurry
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pop — to visit
  17. game — a match
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wind — moving air
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. pitch — completely
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. suit — in cards

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