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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 · kid · pitch · fine · date · squash · bulb · mate

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fine — high quality
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. mate — a friend
  6. squash — to crush
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. kid — to tease
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pitch — completely
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. squash — the sport
  16. date — the fruit
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. kid — child
  19. fine — all right
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mate — a partner
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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