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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: pop · rush · season · pitch · dip · last · suit · wake

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. last — finally
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. suit — in cards
  6. season — of the year
  7. suit — clothes
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pop — music
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. suit — to fit
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pop — to visit
  17. dip — to sink
  18. wake — a trail
  19. rush — hurry
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. last — final
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pop — soda
  24. last — to go on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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