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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 116 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: field · pit · hide · last · snap · suit · rush · shower

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. field — a subject
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. pit — in a race
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. suit — clothes
  9. last — final
  10. pit — a hole
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. field — farmland
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rush — hurry
  15. snap — to click
  16. shower — rain
  17. last — to go on
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. suit — to fit
  20. shower — to wash
  21. last — finally
  22. field — for sport
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rush — a thrill

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