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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: kick · suit · pit · net · coach · mug · dip · rush

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — for catching
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rush — hurry
  6. kick — in football
  7. pit — in a race
  8. suit — to fit
  9. dip — to sink
  10. net — in sport
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — to rob
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pit — a hole
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. dip — a sauce

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