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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: kid · squash · pitcher · key · rule · suit · snap · safe

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rule — government
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to click
  6. suit — in cards
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. suit — to fit
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. suit — clothes
  12. squash — the sport
  13. key — in music
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. kid — child
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. squash — to crush
  23. kid — to tease
  24. safe — out of danger

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