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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: rule · pit · straw · suit · squash · leaves · date · wave

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. suit — to fit
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. suit — in cards
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. date — the fruit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. squash — the sport
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. rule — government
  15. pit — a hole
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. suit — clothes
  20. squash — to crush
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. pit — in a race

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