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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pass · pitch · toast · cabinet · drill · squash · spring · suit

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. spring — a coil
  4. toast — bread
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. spring — of water
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. squash — the sport
  9. spring — the season
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. drill — the tool
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. drill — army training
  18. pass — a permit
  19. suit — to fit
  20. drill — a practice
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pass — to spend time

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