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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: squash · rush · suit · pit · pass · roll · kid · swing

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — in a race
  4. suit — to fit
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. roll — a list
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. suit — in cards
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. pass — a permit
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. kid — to tease
  13. squash — to crush
  14. swing — to play on
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pit — a hole
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. swing — music
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. swing — in golf
  21. roll — a cake
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. kid — child
  24. suit — clothes

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