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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: suit · date · spell · bank · chip · pitch · can · squash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. spell — magic
  3. suit — to fit
  4. can — a tin
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. suit — in cards
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. suit — clothes
  14. chip — for betting
  15. spell — a short time
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. spell — letters
  23. can — a tin
  24. squash — to crush

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