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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: rush · suit · rash · tube · current · prune · lie · pitch

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. rash — hasty
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. suit — in cards
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rash — a series
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. current — of water
  12. tube — a container
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. lie — to recline
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pitch — completely
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pitch — a sports field

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