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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: suit · pitcher · arm · squash · date · wave · key · rush

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rush — hurry
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. key — the most important part
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. date — the fruit
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. suit — to fit
  11. squash — the sport
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. suit — in cards
  14. key — in music
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. suit — clothes
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. squash — to crush
  24. arm — part of the body

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